Service access control interface for an unlicensed wireless communication system

• US 7,272,397 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2006
• Issued: 09/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ribbon Communications Operating Company, Inc. (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Kineto Wireless Incorporated (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gupta, Rajeev, Gallagher, Michael D., Khetawat, Amit, Sethi, Swaran Singh
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng; George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Miller; Brandon J.
• Application Number:
  US11/349,024
• Publication Number:
  US 20060223497A1
• Time in Patent Office: 589 Days
• Field of Search: 455/448, 455/446, 455/432.2, 455/462, 455/433, 455/426.1, 455/41.2, 455/436, 455/435.1, 455/432.1, 370/331
• US Class Current: 455/436
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0892 by using authentication-authorization-accounting [AAA] servers or protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/72 Subscriber identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/205 Transfer to or from user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

Some embodiments provide a system for authorization and authentication of an unlicensed mobile access (UMA) subscriber. The system includes an UMA network controller (UNC) which is communicatively coupled to a licensed wireless communication system. The system also includes an access point (AP) that serves a wireless local area network (WLAN). The system further includes a mobile station (MS) that is communicatively coupled to the AP and the licensed wireless communication system. The system also includes an authentication server that is communicatively coupled to the UNC. The authentication server authenticates a UMA subscriber for accessing an unlicensed mobile access network (UMAN) that includes the UNC and the AP.

[Some embodiments define an interface between the UNC and the authentication server uses Remote Access Dial-In User Service (RADIUS) protocol. In some embodiments, the authentication server is an Authorization, Authentication, and Accounting (AAA) server.]

Claims

1. A method of performing discovery transactions for an unlicensed mobile access (UMA) network comprising an unlicensed network controller, wherein the unlicensed network controller comprises an IP network controller (INC) communicatively coupled to a licensed wireless communication system, wherein the unlicensed network controller comprises a security gateway communicatively coupled to the INC, the method comprising:

a) authenticating a mobile station (MS) into the unlicensed network controller by a first server communicatively coupled to the security gateway;

b) sending a discovery request message from the MS to the INC through the security gateway;

c) sending a set of attributes from the INC to a second server;

d) authorizing said discovery request by the second server utilizing a set of databases; and

e) sending a result of said authorization from the second server to the INC.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the discovery request message is unlicensed radio resource (URR) DISCOVERY REQUEST.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said authorization of the discovery request by the second server comprises:

when the second server is configured to check a subscriber'"'"'s international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) on discovery;

a) retrieving a subscriber record by the second server from a UMA database server; and

b) setting by the second server a discovery reject cause to IMSI not allowed when no subscriber record is found or a subscriber status was set to barred.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said authorization of the discovery request by the second server further comprises:

when no response is received from the UMA database server;

a) setting a discovery reject cause to network congestion by the second server; and

b) assigning a value to a UMA timer to cause the MS to delay sending another discovery request.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the unlicensed mobile access network further comprises an access point (AP), wherein said authorization of the discovery request by the second server further comprises:

when the second server is configured to check AP on discovery and a classmark attribute sent by the INC to the second server indicates an MS as a subscriber device, retrieving a subscriber record by the second server from a UMA database server.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said authorization of the discovery request by the second server further comprises setting by the second server a UMA discovery reject cause to unspecified when a subscriber record is found and the AP is not listed as a valid AP.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said authorization of the discovery request by the second server further comprises:

a) setting a discovery reject cause to network congestion by the second server when no response was received by the second server from the UMA database server; and

b) assigning a value to a UMA timer to cause the MS to delay sending another discovery request.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second server is an authorization, authentication, and accounting (AAA) server.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the INC and the second server communicate by utilizing the remote access dial-in user service (RADIUS) protocol.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein said authorization of the discovery request by the second server further comprises setting by the second server a discovery reject cause to IMSI not allowed when no subscriber record is found or a subscriber status was set to barred.

11. An unlicensed network controller comprising:

a) a security gateway communicatively coupled to a first server for authentication of a mobile station (MS) into the unlicensed network controller; and

b) an IP network controller (INC) communicatively coupled to a licensed wireless communication system and communicatively coupled to the security gateway;

wherein the INC is for;

1) receiving a discovery request message from the MS through the security gateway;

2) sending a set of attributes to a second server for authorizing said discovery request by the second server utilizing a set of databases; and

3) receiving a result of said authorization from the second server.

12. The unlicensed network controller claim 11, wherein the discovery request message is unlicensed radio resource (URR) DISCOVERY REQUEST.

13. The unlicensed network controller of claim 11, wherein the INC is further for receiving from the second server a reject message with a cause field, said cause field set to international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) not allowed when:

i) the second server is configured to check a subscriber'"'"'s IMSI on discovery; and

ii) no subscriber record is found or a subscriber status was set to barred.

14. The unlicensed network controller of claim 11, wherein the INC is further for receiving from the second server a reject message with a cause field, said cause field set to network congestion when the second server receives no response from an unlicensed mobile access (UMA) database server for retrieving a subscriber record from the UMA database server.

15. The unlicensed network controller of claim 11, wherein the security gateway is communicatively coupled to an access point (AP), wherein the INC is further for receiving from the second server a reject message with a cause field, said cause field set to unspecified when:

i) the second server is configured to check AP on discovery;

ii) a classmark attribute sent by the INC to the second server indicates an MS as a subscriber device;

iii) a subscriber record is found; and

iv) the AP is not listed as a valid AP.

16. The unlicensed network controller of claim 15, wherein the INC is further for receiving from the second server a reject message with cause field, said cause field set to international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) not allowed when no subscriber record is found or a subscriber status was set to barred.

17. The unlicensed network controller of claim 14, wherein the INC is further for receiving from the second server a reject message with a cause field, said cause field set to network congestion when no response was received by the second server from the UMA database server.

18. The unlicensed network controller of claim 11, wherein the second server is an authorization, authentication, and accounting (AAA) server.

19. The unlicensed network controller of claim 11, wherein the INC and the second server communicate by utilizing the remote access dial-in user service (RADIUS) protocol.