Self provisioning of wireless terminals in wireless networks

• US 20120142314A1
• Filed: 04/29/2005
• Published: 06/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Jasper Systems, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mohammed, Jahangir
• Granted Patent: US 8,346,214 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• 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 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/06 Registration at serving network Location Register, VLR or user mobility server
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/12 between location registers or mobility servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/205 Transfer to or from user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

A method of acquiring telecommunications service is disclosed. The method comprises listening to a wireless signal from a wireless network and decoding a country code from the wireless signal. The method further comprises selecting a subscriber identity based at least in part on the country code of the wireless signal and acquiring wireless service from the wireless network.

Claims

1-25. -25. (canceled)

26. A system operating in a mobile wireless network comprising:

a first home location register (HLR) containing a plurality of International Mobile Subscriber Identities (IMSIs) allocated to the system; and

a provisioning server coupled to the first HLR and operative to communicate with the mobile wireless network including a plurality of mobile switching centers (MSCs) and a plurality of mobile devices operating in the mobile wireless network, wherein the provisioning server receives a signal from the mobile wireless network specifying a location of a first mobile device having a first IMSI and operating in the mobile wireless network under a first condition, provisions the first HLR to add a second IMSI corresponding to the first mobile device and the location, and transmits data identifying the second IMSI to the first mobile device to allow the first mobile device to operate in the mobile wireless network under a second condition.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the first HLR communicates authentication data to the mobile wireless network to allow the first mobile device to operate under the second condition in the mobile wireless network.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the first HLR communicates authentication data to one of the MSCs operating in the mobile wireless network to allow the first mobile device to operate under the second condition in the mobile wireless network.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein the first HLR transmits authentication data to a second HLR operating in the mobile wireless network to allow the first mobile device to operate under the second condition in the mobile wireless network.

30. The system of claim 26, wherein the plurality of International Mobile Subscriber Identities (IMSIs) allocated to the system include a plurality of subsets of IMSIs, each subset of IMSIs corresponding to a unique country code.

31. The system of claim 26, wherein the plurality of International Mobile Subscriber Identities (IMSIs) allocated to the system include a plurality of subsets of IMSIs, each subset of IMSIs corresponding to a unique network code.

32. The system of claim 26, wherein the plurality of International Mobile Subscriber Identities (IMSIs) allocated to the system include a plurality of subsets of IMSIs, each subset of IMSIs corresponding to a unique country code and at least one unique network code.

33. The system of claim 26, wherein the first condition includes a roaming condition and the second condition includes a non-roaming condition.

34. A method of operating a mobile wireless network comprising:

receiving, by a provisioning server, a signal from a mobile wireless network specifying a location of a first mobile device having a first International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) and operating in the mobile wireless network under a first condition, the mobile wireless network including a plurality of mobile switching centers (MSCs) and a plurality of mobile devices operating in the mobile wireless network;

provisioning a first home location register (HLR) to add a second IMSI corresponding to the first mobile device and the location, the first HLR containing a plurality of IMSIs; and

transmitting data identifying the second IMSI to the first mobile device to allow the first mobile device to operate in the mobile wireless network under a second condition.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the first HLR communicates authentication data to the mobile wireless network to allow the first mobile device to operate under the second condition in the mobile wireless network.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the first HLR communicates authentication data to one of the MSCs operating in the mobile wireless network to allow the first mobile device to operate under the second condition in the mobile wireless network.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein the first HLR transmits authentication data to a second HLR operating in the mobile wireless network to allow the first mobile device to operate under the second condition in the mobile wireless network.

38. The method of claim 34, wherein the plurality of IMSIs include a plurality of subsets of IMSIs, each subset of IMSIs corresponding to a unique country code.

39. The method of claim 34, wherein the plurality of IMSIs include a plurality of subsets of IMSIs, each subset of IMSIs corresponding to a unique network code.

40. The method of claim 34, wherein the plurality of IMSIs include a plurality of subsets of IMSIs, each subset of IMSIs corresponding to a unique country code and at least one unique network code.

41. The method of claim 34, wherein the first condition includes a roaming condition and the second condition includes a non-roaming condition.