END-TO-END FEATURE SUPPORT SIGNALING

• US 20110019592A1
• Filed: 12/23/2009
• Published: 01/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: TAAGHOL, POUYA
• Granted Patent: US 8,953,636 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/259
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/12 Setup of transport tunnels

Abstract

Techniques and mechanisms to communicate end-to-end feature compliance information. Network access requests may be accompanied by compliance/certification/compatibility information for the requesting device as well as intervening devices. A network authentication device may evaluate the request and associated compliance/certification/compatibility information to select one or more network features to allow the requesting device to utilize.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving feature compliance information from a plurality of wireless network entities as part of a network access request by a mobile wireless device;

selecting a set of features to be offered to the mobile wireless device based on the compliance information from the plurality of wireless network entities; and

transmitting a response to the plurality of wireless network entities indicating the features to be offered to the mobile wireless device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless network comprises an IEEE 802.16-compliant wireless network.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of wireless network entities comprise at least the mobile wireless device, a base station, a gateway device and at least one authentication device.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving feature compliance information from the plurality of wireless network entities as part of the network access request by the mobile wireless device comprises receiving a mobile wireless device compliance number (CN) corresponding to the mobile wireless device, a base station CN corresponding to a base station through which the mobile wireless device CN was received, and a gateway CN corresponding to a gateway through which the mobile wireless device CN and the base station CN were received.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the mobile wireless device CN, the base station CN and the gateway CN are received by an authentication device of the wireless network and the authentication device selects one or more features to be provided to the mobile wireless device based, at least in part, on the mobile wireless device CN, the base station CN and the gateway CN.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the authentication device sends a response indicating the selected one or more features to the gateway, the base station and the mobile wireless device.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting the set of features to be offered to the mobile wireless device based on the compliance information from the plurality of wireless network entities comprises:

comparing the compliance information to requirements for a plurality of features offered by the wireless network; and

selecting one or more features to be provided to the mobile wireless device based on the comparison.

8. An article comprising a computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to:

receive feature compliance information from a plurality of wireless network entities as part of a network access request by a mobile wireless device;

select a set of features to be offered to the mobile wireless device based on the compliance information from the plurality of wireless network entities; and

transmit a response to the plurality of wireless network entities indicating the features to be offered to the mobile wireless device.

9. The article of claim 8 wherein the wireless network comprises an IEEE 802.16-compliant wireless network.

10. The article of claim 8 wherein the plurality of wireless network entities comprise at least the mobile wireless device, a base station, a gateway device and at least one authentication device.

11. The article of claim 8 wherein receiving feature compliance information from the plurality of wireless network entities as part of the network access request by the mobile wireless device comprises receiving a mobile wireless device compliance number (CN) corresponding to the mobile wireless device, a base station CN corresponding to a base station through which the mobile wireless device CN was received, and a gateway CN corresponding to a gateway through which the mobile wireless device CN and the base station CN were received.

12. The article of claim 11 wherein the mobile wireless device CN, the base station CN and the gateway CN are received by an authentication device of the wireless network and the authentication device selects one or more features to be provided to the mobile wireless device based, at least in part, on the mobile wireless device CN, the base station CN and the gateway CN.

13. The article of claim 12 wherein the authentication device sends a response indicating the selected one or more features to the gateway, the base station and the mobile wireless device.

14. The article of claim 8 wherein the instructions that cause the one or more processors to select the set of features to be offered to the mobile wireless device based on the compliance information from the plurality of wireless network entities comprise instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:

compare the compliance information to requirements for a plurality of features offered by the wireless network; and

select one or more features to be provided to the mobile wireless device based on the comparison.

15. A wireless network authentication server comprising:

a network interface to receive and transmit messages over a network, wherein at least a portion of the messages transmitted and received are related to authorization of a mobile wireless device to access at least a portion of a wireless network;

one or more processing elements coupled with the network interface, the one or more processing elements to receive compliance information from a plurality of wireless network entities as part of a network access request by a mobile wireless device, to evaluate the compliance information from the plurality of wireless network entities and the network access request to select a set of features to be offered to the mobile wireless device, and to transmit a response to the plurality of wireless network entities indicating the features to be offered to the mobile wireless device.

16. The wireless network authentication server of claim 15 wherein the wireless network comprises an IEEE 802.16-compliant wireless network.

17. The wireless network authentication server of claim 15 wherein the plurality of wireless network entities comprise at least the mobile wireless device, a base station, a gateway device and at least one authentication device.

18. The wireless network authentication server of claim 15 wherein the network access request comprises at least a mobile wireless device compliance number (CN) corresponding to the mobile wireless device, a base station CN corresponding to a base station through which the mobile wireless device CN was received, and a gateway CN corresponding to a gateway through which the mobile wireless device CN and the base station CN were received.

19. The wireless network authentication server of claim 15 wherein the one or more processing elements select the set of features to be offered to the mobile wireless device based on the compliance information from the plurality of wireless network entities, the one or more processing elements further to compare the compliance information to requirements for a plurality of features offered by the wireless network, and to select one or more features to be provided to the mobile wireless device based on the comparison.