PROVIDING ACCESS OF A USER EQUIPMENT TO A DATA NETWORK

• US 20140007200A1
• Filed: 11/07/2011
• Published: 01/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Zisimopoulos, Haris, Kaura, Ricky
• Granted Patent: US 9,392,628 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/4
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/082 using revocation of authorisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/084 using delegated authorisation, e.g. open authorisation [OAuth] protocol
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 Access restriction performed under specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing access of a user equipment to a data network via a wireless communication system is provided. According to an embodiment of the invention, a method of providing access of a user equipment to a data network via a wireless communication system, the user equipment having an associated subscription profile, the wireless communication system utilising access point identifiers for associating subscribers with specific packet data networks, said subscription profile including at least one access point identifier, the method comprises; setting subscriber profile parameter data in said subscription profile; receiving a first message sent from said user equipment requesting connection using a first access point identifier; determining on the basis of said subscription profile whether or not said user equipment may be connected using the first access point identifier; and dependent on the determination being negative and dependent on the subscriber profile parameter data being set, providing access to a packet data network using a different access point identifier.

Claims

1. A method of providing access of a user equipment to a data network via a wireless communication system, the user equipment having an associated subscription profile, the wireless communication system utilising access point identifiers for associating subscribers with specific packet data networks, said subscription profile including at least one access point identifier, the method comprising:

setting subscriber profile parameter data in said subscription profile;

receiving a first message sent from said user equipment requesting connection using a first access point identifier;

determining on the basis of said subscription profile whether or not said user equipment may be connected using the first access point identifier; and

dependent on the determination being negative and dependent on the subscriber profile parameter data being set, providing access to a packet data network using a different access point identifier.

2. The method according to claim 1, the method comprising:

dependent on the determination being negative and dependent on the subscriber profile parameter data being set, sending a second message to said user equipment accepting attachment of said user equipment to the wireless communication system.

3. The method according to claim 1, the method comprising:

removing the subscriber profile parameter data in said subscription profile; and

receiving a second message sent from said user equipment requesting connection using a first access point identifier; and

dependent on the determination being negative and dependent on the subscriber profile parameter data not being set, declining access to a packet data network.

4. The method according to claim 1, the method comprising:

setting the subscriber profile parameter data to include a different access point identifier to indicate that said user equipment should be connected using the different access point identifier if an attempt to connect using another access point identifier is unsuccessful.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the subscriber profile parameter data is held at a server having an association with the wireless communication system.

8. The method according to claim 4, the method comprising:

dependent on the determination being negative and dependent on the setting of the subscriber profile parameter data including the different access point identifier, sending a third message to a gateway associated with said different access point identifier indicating that said user equipment should be connected to the gateway.

9. The method according to claim 8, the method comprising establishing a session including said user equipment and the gateway.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first message sent from said user equipment requesting connection using the first access point identifier specifies an Access Point Name (APN) relating to a first gateway.

12. The method according to claim 1, the method comprising:

dependent on the determination being negative and dependent on the subscriber profile parameter data being set, establishing a limited connectivity communication session providing access to a packet data network.

6-7. -7. (canceled)

10. (canceled)

13. (canceled)

14. An apparatus arranged to provide access of a user equipment to a data network via a wireless communication system, the user equipment having an associated subscription profile, the wireless communication system utilising access point identifiers for associating subscribers with specific packet data networks, said subscription profile including at least one access point identifier, the apparatus being arranged to:

set a subscriber profile parameter data in said subscription profile;

receive a first message sent from said user equipment requesting connection using a first access point identifier;

determine on the basis of said subscription profile whether or not said user equipment may be connected using the first access point identifier; and

dependent on the determination being negative and dependent on the subscriber profile parameter data being set, provide access to a packet data network using a different access point identifier.

15. A method of providing access of a user equipment to a data network via a wireless communication system, the user equipment having an associated subscription profile, the wireless communication system utilising access point identifiers for associating subscribers with packet data networks, said subscription profile including at least one access point identifier, the method comprising:

setting a subscriber profile parameter data in said subscription profile;

receiving a first message sent from said user equipment requesting connection to an access point;

retrieving access point data from said subscription profile;

dependent on said subscriber profile parameter data being in said subscription profile, transmitting signalling parameter data in association with a session establishment request to an access point; and

establishing a limited connectivity communication session on the basis of the inclusion of said signalling parameter data in association with said session establishment request.

16. The method according to claim 15, the method comprising:

establishing a limited connectivity communication session in dependence on said subscriber profile parameter data being set.

17. The method according to claim 15, the method comprising:

receiving a second message sent from said user equipment requesting connection to an access point;

declining a communication session in dependence on said subscriber profile parameter data not being set.

18. The method according to claim 16, the method comprising:

establishing a limited connectivity communication session in dependence on a determination that said user equipment is not authorised to be connected to the access point to which connection was requested in the first message.

19. The method according to claim 17, the method comprising:

declining a communication session in dependence on a determination that said user equipment is not authorised to be connected to the access point to which connection was requested in the second message

20. The method according to claim 15, the method comprising:

setting the subscriber profile parameter data to indicate that access of said user equipment to said data network may be enabled with a limited level of connectivity if a subscriber is not authorised to connect said user equipment to a packet data network, the limited level of connectivity being restricted relative to a level of connectivity applicable if said subscriber is authorised to connect said user equipment to said packet data network

21. The method according to claim 18, the method comprising determining whether or not said user equipment is authorised to be connected to a packet data network identified by the access point by means of authentication of a username and password sent from said user equipment.

23. The method according to claim 15, wherein said subscription profile comprises a plurality of access point names, each access point name having a respective subscriber profile parameter data.

24. The method according to claim 15, wherein said restriction comprises at least one of a restriction to access of said user equipment to parts of said packet data network, a restriction to access of said user equipment to services offered by said packet data network, a restriction to a time that said user equipment may access at least parts of said packet data network, a restriction to a time that said user equipment may access at least services offered by said packet data network and a restriction to provide access to reconfiguration service for said device to reconfigure said password.

22. (canceled)

25-32. -32. (canceled)

33. An apparatus arranged to provide access of a user equipment to a data network via a wireless communication system, the user equipment having an associated subscription profile, the wireless communication system utilising access point identifiers for associating subscribers with packet data networks, said subscription profile including at least one access point identifier, the apparatus being arranged to:

set a subscriber profile parameter data in said subscription profile;

receive a first message sent from said user equipment requesting connection to an access point;

retrieve access point data from said subscription profile;

dependent on said subscriber profile parameter data being in said subscription profile, transmit a signalling parameter data in association with a session establishment request to an access point; and

establish a limited connectivity communication session on the basis of the inclusion of said signalling parameter data in association with said session establishment request.