Automated provisioning, maintenance, and information logging of custom access point names in packet-based mobile cellular networks

• US 7,409,201 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2005
• Issued: 08/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Discovery Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jardine, Thomas James, Hopkins, Robert C., McAllister, Gary C., Maria, Arturo
• Primary Examiner(s): Harper, Vincent P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Goetze, Simon A
• Application Number:
  US11/201,480
• Publication Number:
  US 20070036099A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,090 Days
• Field of Search: 455/403, 455423-424, 370/338, 709223-226, 709/238, 709/242
• US Class Current: 455/403
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/35 Protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer readable media are provided for automating the process of provisioning and maintaining Access Point Names (“APNs”) for use in digital networks, such as GPRS networks. A plurality of network elements including but not limited to GGSN tables, router tables, firewall systems, VPN tunnels, and Home Location Registry (“HLR”) tables can be provisioned and maintained via a centralized system. The invention integrates centralized logging of provisioning, maintenance, and access events, as well as acknowledgement from provisioned network elements, for enhanced security, reporting, and troubleshooting. The invention thus ensures accuracy and reduces operational costs of integrating mobile communications systems with digital networks.

Claims

1. An Access Point Name (“

APN”

) definition control engine for enabling transmission of mobile communications data to a location in a digital network identified by an APN, comprising;

means for associating, by an authorized operator employed by a mobile service provider, a plurality of parameters with a plurality of core network elements, wherein said parameters are used by said core network elements to deliver mobile communications data through said APN;

means for provisioning, by a computer at the direction of said authorized operator, the core network elements with said parameters;

means for logging a user identification corresponding to said authorized operator, an operation performed by said authorized operator, an operation performed by said definition control engine, at least one identification of an affected core network element from said plurality of core network elements, an acknowledgement and status of a provisioned parameter returned from said affected core network element, a date of said operation performed by said authorized operator, and a date of said operation performed by said definition control engine.

2. The APN definition control engine recited in claim 1 wherein the plurality of core network elements comprises at least one Gateway GPRS Support Node (“

GGSN”

).

3. The APN definition control engine recited in claim 1, further comprising means for associating, by an authorized operator, at least one parameter with at least one fixed end system router.

4. The APN definition control engine recited in claim 1, further comprising means for associating, by an authorized operator, at least one parameter with at least one firewall system.

5. The APN definition control engine recited in claim 1 further comprising means for associating, by an authorized operator, at least one parameter with at least one Virtual Private Network (“

VPN”

) tunnel.

6. The APN definition control engine recited in claim 1 further comprising means for associating, by an authorized operator, at least one parameter with at least one gateway support router.

7. The APN definition control engine recited in claim 6 wherein one of said plurality of parameters is an APN to be used by said gateway support router.

8. The APN definition control engine recited in claim 1, further comprising means for logging at least one identification of a parameter used to provision said core network element.

9. The APN definition control engine recited in claim 1, further comprising means for receiving said acknowledgement and status of a provisioned parameter.

10. The APN definition control engine recited in claim 1, further comprising means for defining access rights of an authorized operator such that the authorized operator can perform only activities defined for the said authorized operator to prevent inappropriate provisioning of a core network element.

11. The APN definition control engine recited in claim 1 wherein said means for logging a user identification comprises means for using a centralized database log.

12. The APN definition control engine recited in claim 1, further comprising means for updating at least one parameter.

13. A method for enabling transmission of mobile communications data to a location in a digital network identified by an Access Point Name (“

APN”

), comprising;

associating, by an authorized operator employed by a mobile service provider, a plurality of parameters with a plurality of core network elements, wherein said parameters are used by said core network elements to deliver mobile communications data to said APN;

provisioning, by a computer at the direction of said authorized operator, the core network elements with said parameters;

logging a user identification corresponding to said authorized operator, an operation performed by said authorized operator, an operation performed by said definition control engine, at least one identification of an affected core network element from said plurality of core network elements, an acknowledgement and status of a provisioned parameter returned from said affected core network element, a date of said operation performed by said authorized operator, and a date of said operation performed by said definition control engine.

14. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein the plurality of core network elements comprises at least one Gateway GPRS Support Node (“

GGSN”

).

15. The method as recited in claim 13 further comprising associating, by an authorized operator, at least one parameter with at least one fixed end system router.

16. The method as recited in claim 13 further comprising associating, by an authorized operator, at least one parameter with at least one firewall system.

17. The method as recited in claim 13 further comprising associating, by an authorized operator, at least one parameter with at least one Virtual Private Network (“

VPN”

) tunnel.

18. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein the plurality of core network elements comprises at least one Home Location Registry (“

HLR”

).

19. The method as recited in claim 13 further comprising associating, by an authorized operator, at least one parameter with at least one gateway support router.

20. The method as recited in claim 19 wherein one of said plurality of parameters is an APN to be used by said gateway support router.

21. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising logging at least one identification of a parameter used to provision said core network element.

22. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising receiving said acknowledgement and status of a provisioned parameter.

23. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising defining access rights of an authorized operator such that the authorized operator can perform only activities defined for the said authorized operator to prevent inappropriate provisioning of a core network element.

24. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein said logging a user identification is conducted using a centralized database log.

25. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising updating at least one parameter.

26. A computer readable medium bearing instructions for enabling transmission of mobile communications data to a location in a digital network identified by an Access Point Name (“

APN”

), comprising;

instructions for associating, by an authorized operator employed by a mobile service provider, a plurality of parameters with a plurality of core network elements, wherein said parameters are used by said core network elements to deliver mobile communications data to said APN;

instructions for provisioning, by a computer at the direction of said authorized operator, the core network elements with said parameters;

instructions for logging a user identification corresponding to said authorized operator, an operation performed by said authorized operator, an operation performed by said definition control engine, at least one identification of an affected core network element from said plurality of core network elements, an acknowledgement and status of a provisioned parameter returned from said affected core network element, a date of said operation performed by said authorized operator, and a date of said operation performed by said definition control engine.

27. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 26 wherein the plurality of core network elements comprises at least one Gateway GPRS Support Node (“

GGSN”

).

28. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 26 further comprising instructions for associating, by an authorized operator, at least one parameter with at least one fixed end system router.

29. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 26 further comprising instructions for associating, by an authorized operator, at least one parameter with at least one firewall system.

30. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 26 further comprising instructions for associating, by an authorized operator, at least one parameter with at least one Virtual Private Network (“

VPN”

) tunnel.

31. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 26 further comprising instructions for associating, by an authorized operator, at least one parameter with at least one gateway support router.

32. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 31 wherein one of said plurality of parameters is an APN to be used by said gateway support router.

33. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 26, further comprising instructions for logging at least one identification of a parameter used to provision said core network element.

34. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 26, further comprising instructions for receiving said acknowledgement and status of a provisioned parameter.

35. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 26, further comprising instructions for defining access rights of an authorized operator such that the authorized operator can perform only activities defined for the said authorized operator to prevent inappropriate provisioning of a core network element.

36. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 26 wherein said instructions for logging a user identification comprise instructions for logging in a centralized database log.

37. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 26, further comprising instructions for updating at least one parameter.