Method and System for Interworking Between Two Different Networks

• US 20100035578A1
• Filed: 07/31/2009
• Published: 02/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Futurewei Technologies Incorporated (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Futurewei Technologies Incorporated (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ahmed, Hanan
• Granted Patent: US 8,224,330 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/162 at the data link layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

Systems and methods for interworking between two different networks are presented. In one embodiment, a method for wireless communication includes requesting a network access from an access point of a first network, and transmitting an EAP authentication request from the access point to a user end. An EAP authentication request response is sent from the user end to the access point. The EAP authentication request response includes an attach type indicator that indicates to a gateway associated with the access point whether the attach request is an initial attachment or a handover from a second network.

Claims

1. A method for wireless communication comprising:

requesting a network access from an access point of a first network by a user end;

transmitting an EAP authentication request from the access point to the user end; and

sending an EAP authentication request response from the user end to the access point, wherein the EAP authentication request response comprises an attach type indicator that indicates to a gateway associated with the access point whether the request for network access is an initial attachment or a handover from a second network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first network is a WiMax network, and the second network is a 3GPP network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the gateway associated with the access point is an access network server gateway.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the EAP authentication request response to an Authentication, Authorization and Accounting (AAA) server; and

establishing EAP authentication and authorization by accepting the EAP authentication request response from the user end.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the AAA Server is an AAA Server of the second network.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

setting up initial service flows after establishing EAP authentication and authorization; and

establishing a mobile internet protocol connection.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the mobile internet protocol comprises mobile IPv4.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the mobile internet protocol comprises proxy mobile IPv6.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a Network Access Identifier (NAI) in the EAP request response message comprises the attach type indicator.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the NAI comprises a WiMax decoration for the attach type indicator.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the NAI format comprises:

[RoutingRealm1! RoutingRealm2! . . . !] {Attach Type=x} username@realm,

wherein x is the attach type indicator.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein a new PDN GW is assigned if the attach type indicator indicates an initial attachment.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein a PDN GW identity of a previous attach is assigned if the attach type indicator indicates a handover from the second network to the first network.

14. A wireless device comprising:

a receiver configured to receive an EAP identity request message from a first and a second network;

a processor configured to generate an EAP identity response message, the EAP identity response message comprising an attach type indicator; and

a transmitter configured to transmit the identity response message to the first and the second network.

15. The wireless device of claim 14, wherein the first network comprises a WiMax network, and the second network comprises a 3GPP network.

16. The wireless device of claim 14, wherein a Network Access Identifier (NAI) in the EAP request response message comprises the attach type indicator.

17. The wireless device of claim 16, wherein the NAI comprises a WiMax decoration for the attach type indicator.

18. The wireless device of claim 16, wherein the NAI format comprises [RoutingRealm1! RoutingRealm2! . . . !] {Attach Type=x} username@realm,

wherein x is the attach type indicator.

19. A wireless communication system comprising:

a first access network, the first access network being connected to a different second access network, the first access network being configured to respond to an access request from a user end and to transmit an EAP authorization request message for authorizing a user end of the second access network, wherein the first access network is configured to receive an EAP response message comprising an attach type indicator, wherein the first access network allows the user end to establish a mobile internet protocol connection based on an acceptance of the EAP response message by an authorization and access server of the second access network, wherein the attach indicator indicates if the access request is a new connection or if the user end is a handover from the second access network.

20. The wireless communication system of claim 19, further comprising:

a user end comprising a receiver configured to receive the EAP authorization request message, a processor configured to generate an EAP response message comprising an attach type indicator, and a transmitter configured to transmit the identity response message to the first access network.