HANDOFF AT AN AD-HOC MOBILE SERVICE PROVIDER

• US 20090046658A1
• Filed: 08/08/2008
• Published: 02/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Krishnaswamy, Dilip
• Granted Patent: US 9,392,445 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/331
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/062 Pre-authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0038 of security context information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

An ad-hoc service provider is configured to support pre-authentication with a server for the purpose of receiving a handoff of a mobile client from another ad-hoc service provider. The ad-hoc service provider is further configured to enable the mobile client to maintain a session with the server while receiving the handoff from said another ad-hoc service provider.

Claims

1. An ad-hoc service provider, comprising:

a processing system configured to support pre-authentication with a server for the purpose of receiving a handoff of a mobile client from another ad-hoc service provider, the processing system being further configured to enable the mobile client to maintain a session with the server while receiving the handoff from said another ad-hoc service provider.

2. The ad-hoc service provider of claim 1 wherein the processing system is further configured to support pre-authentication by receiving a key from the server to support an encrypted link between the ad-hoc service provider and the mobile client.

3. The ad-hoc service provider of claim 2 wherein the processing system is further configured to establish a connection with the mobile client to receive the handoff in response to a message encrypted with the key from the mobile client.

4. The ad-hoc service provider of claim 1 wherein the processing system is further configured to support pre-authentication by receiving authorization from the server to communicate with the mobile client.

5. The ad-hoc service provider of claim 1 wherein the processing system is further configured to support pre-authentication by receiving a key from the server to support an encrypted link between the ad-hoc service provider and said another ad-hoc service provider.

6. The ad-hoc service provider of claim 1 wherein the processing system is further configured to support pre-authentication by receiving authorization from the server to communicate with said another ad-hoc service provider.

7. The ad-hoc service provider of claim 1 wherein the processing system is further configured to enable the mobile client to maintain a session with the server while receiving the handoff by supporting a tunnel with said another ad-hoc service provider.

8. The ad-hoc service provider of claim 7 wherein the processing system is further configured to receive through the tunnel at least some packets received by said another ad-hoc service provider from the mobile client.

9. The ad-hoc service provider of claim 1 which the processing system is further configured to receive at least some packets from said another ad-hoc service provider over a wireless link while receiving the handoff.

10. The ad-hoc service provider of claim 9 wherein the processing system is further configured to receive one or more of said at least some packets from said another ad-hoc service provider through yet another ad-hoc service provider.

11. The ad-hoc service provider of claim 1 wherein the processing system is further configured to provide an IPv4 or IPv6 address to the mobile client.

12. The ad-hoc service provider of claim 11 wherein the IPv4 or IPv6 address comprises a MobileIP address.

13. The ad-hoc service provider of claim 1 wherein the processing system is further configured to receive from the server a message to receive the handoff of the mobile client from said another ad-hoc service provider.

14. The ad-hoc service provider of claim 1 wherein the processing system is further configured to support a hard handoff.

15. The ad-hoc service provider of claim 1 wherein the processing system is further configured to support a soft handoff.

16. The ad-hoc service provider of claim 1 wherein the processing system is further configured to send a message to the server indicating that the handoff is complete.

17. A method of receiving a handoff at an ad-hoc service provider, comprising:

supporting pre-authentication with a server for the purpose of receiving a handoff of a mobile client from another ad-hoc service provider; and

enabling the mobile client to maintain a session with the server while receiving the handoff from said another ad-hoc service provider.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the pre-authentication is supported by receiving a key from the server to support an encrypted link between the ad-hoc service provider and the mobile client.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising establishing a connection with the mobile client to receive the handoff in response to a message encrypted with the key from the mobile client.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the pre-authentication is supported by receiving authorization from the server to communicate with the mobile client.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein the pre-authentication is supported by receiving a key from the server to support an encrypted link between the ad-hoc service provider and said another ad-hoc service provider.

22. The method of claim 17 wherein the pre-authentication is supported by receiving authorization from the server to communicate with said another ad-hoc service provider.

23. The method of claim 17 wherein the mobile client is enabled to maintain the session with the server while receiving the handoff by supporting a tunnel with said another ad-hoc service provider.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising receiving through the tunnel at least some packets received by said another ad-hoc service provider from the mobile client.

25. The method of claim 17 further configured to receive at least some packets from said another ad-hoc service provider over a wireless link while receiving the handoff.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein one or more of said at least some packets received from said another ad-hoc service provider are received through yet another ad-hoc service provider.

27. The method of claim 17 further comprising providing an IPv4 or IPv6 address to the mobile client.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the IPv4 or IPv6 address comprises a MobileIP address.

29. The method of claim 17 further comprising receiving from the server a message to receive the handoff of the mobile client from said another ad-hoc service provider.

30. The method of claim 17 wherein the handoff comprises a hard handoff.

31. The method of claim 17 wherein the handoff comprises a soft handoff.

32. The method of claim 17 further comprising sending a message to the server indicating that the handoff is complete.

33. An ad-hoc service provider, comprising:

means for supporting pre-authentication with a server for the purpose of receiving a handoff of a mobile client from another ad-hoc service provider; and

means for enabling the mobile client to maintain a session with the server while receiving the handoff from said another ad-hoc service provider.

34. The ad-hoc service provider of claim 33 wherein the means for supporting pre-authentication comprises means for receiving a key from the server to support an encrypted link between the ad-hoc service provider and the mobile client.

35. The ad-hoc service provider of claim 34 further comprising means for establishing a connection with the mobile client to receive the handoff in response to a message encrypted with the key from the mobile client.

36. The ad-hoc service provider of claim 33 wherein the means for supporting pre-authentication comprises means for receiving authorization from the server to communicate with the mobile client.

37. The ad-hoc service provider of claim 33 wherein the means for supporting pre-authentication comprises means for receiving a key from the server to support an encrypted link between the ad-hoc service provider and said another ad-hoc service provider.

38. The ad-hoc service provider of claim 33 wherein the means for supporting pre-authentication comprises means for receiving authorization from the server to communicate with said another ad-hoc service provider.

39. The ad-hoc service provider of claim 33 wherein the means for enabling the mobile client to maintain the session with the server while receiving the handoff comprises means for supporting a tunnel with said another ad-hoc service provider.

40. The ad-hoc service provider of claim 39 further comprising means for receiving through the tunnel at least some packets received by said another ad-hoc service provider from the mobile client.

41. The ad-hoc service provider of claim 33 further configured means for receiving at least some packets from said another ad-hoc service provider over a wireless link while receiving the handoff.

42. The ad-hoc service provider of claim 41 wherein the means for receiving at least some packets is configured to receive one or more of said at least some packets received from said another ad-hoc service provider through yet another ad-hoc service provider.

43. The ad-hoc service provider of claim 33 further comprising means for providing an IPv4 or IPv6 address to the mobile client.

44. The ad-hoc service provider of claim 43 wherein the IPv4 or IPv6 address comprises a MobileIP address.

45. The ad-hoc service provider of claim 33 further comprising means for receiving from the server a message to receive the handoff of the mobile client from said another ad-hoc service provider.

46. The ad-hoc service provider of claim 33 further comprising means for receiving a hard handoff.

47. The ad-hoc service provider of claim 33 further comprising means for receiving a soft handoff.

48. The ad-hoc service provider of claim 33 further comprising means for sending a message to the server indicating that the handoff is complete.

49. A machine-readable medium comprising instructions executable by a processing system in a mobile server provider, the instructions comprising code for:

supporting pre-authentication with a server for the purpose of receiving a handoff of a mobile client from another ad-hoc service provider; and

enabling the mobile client to maintain a session with the server while receiving the handoff from said another ad-hoc service provider.

50. The machine-readable medium of claim 49 wherein the code for supporting pre-authentication comprises code for receiving a key from the server to support an encrypted link between the ad-hoc service provider and the mobile client.

51. The machine-readable medium of claim 50 wherein the instructions further comprise code for establishing a connection with the mobile client to receive the handoff in response to a message encrypted with the key from the mobile client.

52. The machine-readable medium of claim 49 wherein the code for supporting pre-authentication comprises code for receiving authorization from the server to communicate with the mobile client.

53. The machine-readable medium of claim 49 wherein the code for supporting pre-authentication comprises code for receiving a key from the server to support an encrypted link between the ad-hoc service provider and said another ad-hoc service provider.

54. The machine-readable medium of claim 49 wherein the code for supporting pre-authentication comprises code for receiving authorization from the server to communicate with said another ad-hoc service provider.

55. The machine-readable medium of claim 49 wherein the code for enabling the mobile client to maintain the session with the server while receiving the handoff comprises code for supporting a tunnel with said another ad-hoc service provider.

56. The machine-readable medium of claim 55 wherein the instructions further comprise code for receiving through the tunnel at least some packets received by said another ad-hoc service provider from the mobile client.

57. The machine-readable medium of claim 49 wherein the instructions further comprise code for receiving at least some packets from said another ad-hoc service provider over a wireless link while receiving the handoff.

58. The machine-readable medium of claim 57 wherein the code for receiving at least some packets is configured to receive one or more of said at least some packets received from said another ad-hoc service provider through yet another ad-hoc service provider.

59. The machine-readable medium of claim 49 wherein the instructions further comprise code for providing an IPv4 or IPv6 address to the mobile client.

60. The machine-readable medium of claim 59 wherein the IPv4 or IPv6 address comprises a MobileIP address.

61. The machine-readable medium of claim 49 wherein the instructions further comprise code for receiving from the server a message to receive the handoff of the mobile client from said another ad-hoc service provider.

62. The machine-readable medium of claim 49 wherein the instructions further comprise code for receiving a hard handoff.

63. The machine-readable medium of claim 49 wherein the instructions further comprise code for receiving a soft handoff.

64. The machine-readable medium of claim 49 wherein the instructions further comprise code for sending a message to the server indicating that the handoff is complete.