Method of registering home address of a mobile node with a home agent

• US 7,636,569 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2003
• Issued: 12/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Faccin, Stefano, Le, Franck, Patil, Basavaraj
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BINH KIEN
• Application Number:
  US10/609,016
• Publication Number:
  US 20040029584A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,370 Days
• Field of Search: 455/432.1, 455/435.1, 455/417, 455/423, 370/310, 370/331, 370/352, 370/386, 370/401, 370/395.31, 370/395.54, 370/395.3, 370/310.1
• US Class Current: 455/435.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/164 at the network layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation

Abstract

A method for registering a home address of a mobile node with a home agent in a network. Instead of using the home address of the mobile node as the key element in identifying the mobile node, the home agent uses the network access identity of the mobile node included in a registration request sent by the mobile node to the home agent in the registration process. Upon receiving the registration request, the home agent authenticates the mobile node by selecting the appropriate security association based on the network access identity. In response, the home agent may send Authentication and Key material to the mobile node so as to allow the mobile node to further provide the home agent with a mobile node authentication for use in a challenge-response procedure.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

conveying a request by a mobile node to a home agent in a network requesting registration of a home address of the mobile node with the home agent;

authenticating the mobile node;

storing in the home agent the home address to be registered, wherein the request includes a network access identity of the mobile node and the home address to be registered.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising obtaining the home address by the mobile node.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile node is authenticated using security information based on the network access identity.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile node and the home agent share a security association identified by the network access identity, and the mobile node is authenticated based on the security association.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the request also includes a mobile node authenticator for use in said authenticating.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the request also includes a mobile node authenticator for use in said authenticating, and the mobile node authenticator is computed based on said security association.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the request also includes a care-of-address of the mobile node indicative of a current point of attachment to the network by the mobile node.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising

sending authentication and key material to the mobile node so as to allow the mobile node to provide the home agent with a mobile node authentication based on the authentication and key material when said authenticating requires a challenge-response procedure.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile node is allowed to proceed with binding update messages based on the stored home address in the home agent when needed.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising

associating a lifetime to the registered home address so as to limit the duration in which the mobile node is allowed to proceed with the binding update messages.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the lifetime can be refreshed when the mobile node proceeds with a binding update message.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the lifetime can be refreshed with a further request by the mobile node to the home agent.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising p1 authenticating the request using a hash function.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising

storing a value indicative of the home address and a security parameter index in a security engine in the home agent so as to allow the home agent to authenticate a binding update message based on said stored value and the security parameter index.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing proof by the mobile node that the mobile node owns and is authorized to use the home address.

16. The method of claim 7, further comprising providing proof by the mobile node that the mobile node owns and is authorized to use the care-of-address.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the home agent is discovered by the mobile node in a discovery process and the registration of the home address is conveyed to the discovered home agent.

18. A network comprising

at least a mobile node having a home address associated thereto, and

a home agent, wherein the mobile node is adapted to send a request to the home agent requesting the registration of the home address with the home agent, and the home agent is adapted to authenticate the mobile node and to store in the home agent the home address to be registered, wherein the request includes a network access identity of the mobile node and the home address to be registered.

19. The network of claim 18, wherein the home agent authenticates the mobile node using security information based on the network access identity.

20. The network of claim 18, wherein the mobile node and the home agent share a security association identifiable by the network access identity, and the home agent authenticates the mobile node based on the security association.

21. The network of claim 18, wherein the request includes a care-of-address of the mobile node indicative of a current point of attachment to the network by the mobile node.

22. A home agent in a network, comprising:

means, response to a request from a mobile node requesting registration of a home address of the mobile node with the home agent, for authenticating the mobile node; and

means, response to said authentication, for storing in the home agent the home address to be registered, wherein the request includes a network access identity of the mobile node and the home address to be registered.

23. The home agent of claim 22, wherein said authenticating means authenticates the mobile node based on the network access identity.

24. An apparatus comprising:

means for sending a request to a home agent in a network for registering a home address of the apparatus with the home agent, wherein the request includes the network access identity and the home address to be registered so as to allow the home agent to authenticate the apparatus based on the network access identity.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising means for discovering the home agent in a discovery process.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, further adapted to sending proof that the apparatus owns and is authorized to use the home address when registering the home address with the home agent.

27. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the request further includes a mobile device authenticator so as to allow the home agent to authenticate the apparatus based on the authenticator.