Initializing Femtocells

• US 20110004747A1
• Filed: 12/22/2009
• Published: 01/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Venkatachalam, Muthaiah
• Granted Patent: US 8,255,677 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/0431 Key distribution or pre-distribution; Key agreement
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/35 Protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/10 Open loop power control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/146 Uplink power control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A femtocell may be initialized on a network by automatically contacting a network service provider. The access point then automatically downloads an initial configuration from a bootstrap server belonging to the network service provider. In some cases, a femtocell access point may automatically determine, after boot up, whether it was pre-provisioned with credentials to authenticate itself with the network service provider. If so, it may use a domain name service to obtain an address of a bootstrap server. Otherwise, it may use dynamic host configuration protocol to discover the bootstrap server'"'"'s Internet Protocol address.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

enabling a femtocell access point to automatically contact a network service provider; and

enabling said access point to automatically download an initial configuration from a bootstrap server belonging to the network service provider.

2. The method of claim 1 including automatically determining, after boot up, whether the femtocell access point is pre-provisioned with credentials to authenticate itself with the network service provider.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein, if the access point is pre-provisioned, automatically using a domain name system server to obtain the address of the bootstrap server.

4. The method of claim 2 including, if the femtocell access point is not pre-provisioned, using dynamic host configuration protocol to discover the bootstrap server'"'"'s Internet Protocol address.

5. The method of claim 1 including pre-provisioning a femtocell access point with credentials for a particular wireless protocol.

6. The method of claim 1 including pre-provisioning a femtocell access point with a domain name of a bootstrap server in a femtocell network service provider.

7. The method of claim 1 including requesting initial configuration information from a bootstrap server at the network service provider.

8. The method of claim 1 including automatically sending the location of the network access point to the network service provider.

9. The method of claim 1 including enabling the access point to automatically download the address of a security gateway from the bootstrap server.

10. The method of claim 1 including enabling the access point to automatically register with a network service provider.

11. A computer readable medium storing instructions to cause a femtocell access point to:

automatically contact a network service provider; and

automatically download an initial configuration for a bootstrap server belonging to the network service provider.

12. The medium of claim 11 further storing instructions to automatically determine, after boot up, whether the femtocell access point is preprovisioned with credentials to authenticate itself with the network service provider.

13. The medium of claim 11 further storing instructions to automatically use a domain name system server to obtain the address of the bootstrap server if the access point is preprovisioned.

14. The medium of claim 12 further storing instructions to use the dynamic host configuration protocol to discover the bootstrap server'"'"'s Internet Protocol address if the femtocell access is not preprovisioned.

15. The medium of claim 11 further storing instructions to request initial configuration information from a bootstrap server at the network service provider.

16. A femtocell access point comprising:

a controller to automatically contact a network service provider and to automatically download an initial configuration from a bootstrap server belonging to the network service provider; and

a radio frequency transceiver coupled to said controller.

17. The access point of claim 16, said access point to automatically determine, after bootup, whether the access point is preprovisioned with credentials to authenticate itself with the network service provider.

18. The access point of claim 17 to automatically use a domain name system server to obtain the address of the bootstrap server.

19. The access point of claim 17 to use dynamic host configuration protocol to discover the bootstrap server'"'"'s Internet Protocol address if the access point is not preprovisioned.

20. The access point of claim 16 including a memory storing credentials for a particular wireless protocol.