Private communications network system and method of authentication for a mobile station used in private communications networks

• US 5,670,950 A
• Filed: 07/13/1995
• Issued: 09/23/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NEC Platforms, Ltd. (NEC Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Otsuka, Kiyokazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US08/506,949
• Time in Patent Office: 803 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.33, 340/825.34, 340/825.47, 379/58, 379/60, 379/111, 379/112, 379/219, 379/220, 379/221, 379/225, 455/49.1, 455/54.1, 455/54.2, 455/56.1
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/009 in systems involving PBX or KTS networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A private communications network system allows a mobile station to be used in a different private communications network than that in which it is registered, by a method of authenticating the mobile station outside of its home private communication network. When a mobile station 17 requests location registration in a private communications network 2 in which the mobile station 17 is not registered, a control unit 22 of a PBX 21 in the private communications network 2 requests a network common data management unit 3 to send group data which is used to identify a private communications network 1 in which the mobile station 17 is registered. Control trait 22 then requests a PBX 11 in a private communications network 1 to send subscriber data 33 of the mobile station 17. The mobile station 17 is authenticated in the private communications network 2 by the subscriber data 33 sent from its home private communications network 1, whereafter the mobile station 17 can make calls from or can receive incoming calls in the private communications network 2. Billing data for calls the mobile station has made in the private communications network 2 is transferred and stored in the home network common data management unit 3 on a group basis.

Claims

1. A private communications network system comprising at least one first private branch exchange interconnected to second private branch exchanges in a plurality of other private communications network systems by transmission lines, and having a plurality of base stations and a plurality of first mobile stations for providing mobile communication services, said private communications network system further comprising:

common data management means provided in common to a plurality of private communications network systems including said private communications network system and interconnected to said first and second private branch exchanges by transmission lines for communicating with each private branch exchange, for managing group number data corresponding to an identification number of a mobile station of each private communications network system and network identification data including a private communications network system number and billing information corresponding to the group number information;

subscriber data corresponding to each of said first mobile stations and stored in said first private branch exchange, said subscriber data indicating authentication information and location information;

temporary subscriber data stored in said first private branch exchange and provided for a second mobile station from another private communications network system, that has entered into said private communications network system and requested mobile communications, said temporary subscriber data indicating authentication information and location information of said second mobile station and authentication means for authenticating the second mobile station having requested mobile communications in said private communications network system, said authentication means comprising

inquiring means for communicating with said common data management means for requesting and receiving identification of a private communications network number corresponding to said second mobile station;

requesting means for communicating with a second private branch exchange in one of said other private communications network systems indicated by said identification of a private communications network number for requesting a transmission of subscriber data of said second mobile station and storing said subscriber data transmitted into said temporary subscriber data means; and

control means for authenticating said second mobile station by using authentication information contained in said temporary subscriber data, updating location information contained in said temporary subscriber data, instructing said second private branch exchange in said other private communications network system indicated by said identification of a private communications network number to update subscriber data corresponding to said second mobile station, and notifying the second mobile station that it is authorized to be used in said private communications network system area.

2. The private communications network system according to claim 1 wherein said control means includes billing means for storing billing data of calls originating from said second mobile station and sent to said common data management means on a group number basis corresponding to said second mobile station.

3. The private communications network system according to claim 2 wherein said common data management means is located in each of said private communications network systems.

4. A method of authenticating a mobile station used in a private communications network including at least one first private branch exchange interconnected to second private branch exchanges in a plurality of other private communications network systems, and to common data management means provided in common to a plurality of private communications network systems managing group number data corresponding to an identification number of a mobile station of a private communications network system and network identification data including a private communications network number and billing information corresponding to said group number information, said first private branch exchange having a plurality of base stations and a plurality of first mobile stations for providing mobile communication services, and also having subscriber data corresponding to each of said first mobile stations for indicating authentication information and location information and temporary subscriber data for a second mobile station of one of said other private communications network systems that has entered into said private communications network and requested mobile communications, for indicating authentication information and location information of said second mobile station, said method of authenticating the mobile station comprising the steps of:

interrogating said common data management means to obtain a private communications network number corresponding to said second mobile station when said second mobile station has requested to be used in said private communications network;

requesting transmission of subscriber data of said second mobile station from a second private branch exchange in one of said other private communications network systems indicated by said obtained private communications network number;

introducing said transmitted subscriber data into said temporary subscriber data;

authenticating said second mobile station by using authentication information contained in said temporary subscriber data;

updating location information contained in said temporary subscriber data;

instructing said second private branch exchange in said other private communications network system indicated by said private communications network number to update subscriber data corresponding to said second mobile station;

notifying said second mobile station to authorize its use in said private communications network system; and

storing billing data of calls originating at said second mobile station in said common data management means on a group number basis corresponding to said second mobile station.