Arrangement for communicating information

• US 7,738,411 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2001
• Issued: 06/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Leinonen, Jarno, Koponen, Pekka, Salokannel, Juha
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham; Chi H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Elallam; Ahmed
• Application Number:
  US10/032,427
• Publication Number:
  US 20020085511A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,098 Days
• Field of Search: 370277-281, 370/313, 370/315, 370/316, 370/328, 370/345, 370/349, 455/411, 455/435.1, 455/11.1, 455 412- 413, 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 455/558, 726/4
• US Class Current: 370/315
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/43 using shared identity modules, e.g. SIM sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for communicating information between a first wireless communication device (10) and a communications network (30) via a particular second wireless communication device (20), the communications network being said second wireless communication device'"'"'s own communications network. In the method, the user identification data of said first wireless communication device (10) is transmitted to said second wireless communication device (20). In the method, said second wireless communication device (20) makes a contact to its own communications network (30) on the basis of the user identification data of said first wireless communication device (10) for communicating information between the first wireless communication device (10) and said communications network (30) via said second wireless communication device (20). The invention also relates to said first and second communications devices (10, 20).

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving at a mobile station user identification data of a first wireless communication device over a wireless local link;

establishing and authenticating connection through the mobile station to the mobile station'"'"'s own communications network using the received user identification data of said first wireless communication device, said establishing and authenticating being by transmitting by the mobile station at least a portion of information in the received user identification data to the communications network, receiving a challenge by the mobile station from the communication network to the first wireless device, forwarding the challenge to the first wireless device, receiving a response to the challenge by the mobile station from the first wireless device, and forwarding the response by the mobile station to the communication network;

receiving at the mobile station an information content from said communications network over said connection; and

transmitting said information content to said first wireless communication device over said wireless local link.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said communications network is the closest communications network in which said mobile station is arranged to operate.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said mobile station is a communication device of a cellular network, and said communications network is a cellular network.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said mobile station is closer to said communications network than said first wireless communication device, and a connection between said mobile station and the communications network is identified on the basis of data transmitted from the first wireless communication device.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said mobile station establishes a connection to its own communications network on the basis of the user identification data of said first wireless communication device and on the initiative of said first wireless communication device.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mobile station establishes a connection to its own communications network on behalf of said first wireless communication device.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein from a particular server of a particular service provider, information content is distributed via said communications network and said mobile station to said first wireless communication device in such a manner that the information content is transferred from said server via said communications network to said mobile station, and the information content is transmitted from said mobile station to said first wireless communication device over a short-range link;

wherein said mobile station is configured to receive said user identification data from a user identification data identification module comprising said user identification data of the user of said first wireless communication device.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

transferring information between the first wireless communication device and said communications network via said mobile station in such a manner that;

in the section between the first wireless communication device and the mobile station, the information is communicated over a local link, and

in the section between the mobile station and the communications network, the information is communicated over a cellular network connection;

wherein said mobile station is configured to receive said user identification data from a user data identification module comprising said user identification data of the user of said first wireless communication device.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein said local link is a wireless short-range radio link.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising providing to said first wireless communication device a communications network service via said mobile station, in which service an information content is transmitted via said communications network and said mobile station to the first wireless communication device.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said user identification data of the first wireless communication device comprises at least one of the following:

IMSI (International Mobile Subscriber Identity) code, IMUI (International Mobile User Identity) code.

12. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said mobile station registers to its own communications network using the user identification data of said first wireless communication device.

13. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first wireless communication device is one of the following:

PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) device, eBook (electronic Book) device.

14. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said user identification data comprises an operator identifier.

15. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first wireless communication device is configured to receive a user data identification module comprising said user identification data of the user of said first wireless communication device.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein said user data identification module is a module of a first operator, with the aid of which module the first wireless communication device can register, via said mobile station, to a network operated by said first operator.

17. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first wireless communication device does not have a long-range communication capability necessary to directly communicate with said network;

wherein said mobile station is configured to receive said user identification data from a user data identification module comprising said user identification data of the user of said first wireless communication device.

18. An apparatus, comprising:

a transmitter in a first wireless communication device for supplying user identification data of the first wireless communication device to a mobile station over a wireless local link;

a control unit in the first wireless communication device, coupled to the transmitter, for establishing and authenticating a connection through said mobile station to said communications network using the user identification data of said first wireless communication device, for transferring information content between the first wireless communication device and said communications network via said mobile station, said establishing and authenticating being by transmitting at least a portion of information in the received user identification data to the mobile station for forwarding by the mobile station to the communications network, receiving a challenge from the mobile station that has been forwarded by the mobile station from the communication network, and transmitting a response to the challenge to the mobile station for forwarding by the mobile station to the communications network.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said received user identification data comprises an operator identifier.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said first wireless communication device does not have a long-range communication capability necessary to directly communicate with said network;

wherein said mobile station is configured to receive said user identification data from a user data identification module comprising said user identification data of the user of said first wireless communication device.

21. An apparatus, comprising:

a transmitter in a first wireless communication device for supplying user identification data of the first wireless communication device to a mobile station over a wireless local link;

a control unit in the first wireless communication device, coupled to the transmitter, for establishing and authenticating a connection through said mobile station to said communications network using the user identification data of said first wireless communication device, for transferring information content between the first wireless communication device and said communications network via said mobile station, said establishing and authenticating being by transmitting at least a portion of information in the received user identification data to the mobile station for forwarding by the mobile station to the communications network, receiving a challenge from the mobile station that has been forwarded by the mobile station from the communication network, and transmitting a response to the challenge to the mobile station for forwarding by the mobile station to the communications network.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said user data identification module is a module of a first operator, with the aid of which module the first wireless communication device can register, via said mobile station, to a network operated by said first operator.

23. An apparatus, comprising:

means in a first wireless communication device for supplying user identification data of the first wireless communication device to a mobile station over a wireless local link;

means in the first wireless communication device, for establishing and authenticating a connection through said mobile station to a communications network using the user identification data of said first wireless communication device for transferring information content between the wireless communication device and said communications network via said mobile station, said establishing and authenticating being by transmitting at least a portion of information in the received user identification data to the mobile station for forwarding by the mobile station to the communications network, receiving a challenge from the mobile station that has been forwarded by the mobile station from the communication network, and transmitting a response to the challenge to the mobile station for forwarding by the mobile station to the communications network.

24. A non-transitory computer readable medium having computer executable program code therein, comprising:

computer executable program code in said computer readable medium for receiving at a mobile station user identification data of a first wireless communication device over a wireless local link;

computer executable program code in said computer readable medium for establishing and authenticating a connection through the mobile station to the mobile station'"'"'s own communications network using the user identification data of said first wireless communication device, said establishing and authenticating being by transmitting by the mobile station at least a portion of information in the received user identification data to the communications network, receiving by the mobile station a challenge from the communication network to the first wireless device, forwarding the challenge to the first wireless device, receiving by the mobile station a response to the challenge from the first wireless device, and forwarding by the mobile station the response to the communication network;

computer executable program code in said computer readable medium for receiving at the mobile station an information content from said communications network over said connection; and

computer executable program code in said computer readable medium for transmitting said information content to said first wireless communication device over said wireless local link.

25. A method, comprising:

receiving user identification data of a first wireless communication device at a mobile station; and

establishing and authenticating through the mobile station a connection initiated by said first wireless communication device to said communications network using the user identification data of said first wireless communication device, for transferring information content between the first wireless communication device and said communications network via said mobile station, said establishing and authenticating being by transmitting by the mobile station at least a portion of information in the received user identification data to the communications network, receiving by the mobile station a challenge from the communication network to the first wireless device, forwarding the challenge to the first wireless device, receiving by the mobile station a response to the challenge from the first wireless device, and forwarding by the mobile station the response to the communication network.

26. A method as claimed in claim 25, wherein said mobile station is a communication device of a cellular network, and said communications network is a cellular network.

27. A method as claimed in claim 25, wherein said first wireless communication device is one of the following:

PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) device, eBook (electronic Book) device.

28. A method as claimed in claim 25, wherein said user identification data of the first wireless communication device comprises at least one of the following:

IMSI (International Mobile Subscriber Identity) code, IMUI (International Mobile User Identity) code.

29. An apparatus, comprising:

a receiver in a mobile station for receiving user identification data of a first wireless communication device, said mobile station having its own communications network;

a control unit in the mobile station, coupled to the receiver, for establishing and authenticating a connection through the mobile station to the mobile station'"'"'s own communications network using the user identification data of said first wireless communication device, for transferring information content between the first wireless communication device and said communications network via said mobile station, said establishing and authenticating being by transmitting by the mobile station at least a portion of information in the received user identification data to the communications network, receiving by the mobile station a challenge from the communication network to the first wireless device, forwarding the challenge to the first wireless device, receiving by the mobile station a response to the challenge from the first wireless device, and forwarding by the mobile station the response to the communication network.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein said user identification data comprises an operator identifier.

31. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein said first wireless communication device does not have a long-range communication capability necessary to directly communicate with said network;

wherein said mobile station is configured to receive said user identification data from a user data identification module comprising said user identification data of the user of said first wireless communication device.

32. An apparatus, comprising:

a receiver in a mobile station for receiving user identification data of a first wireless communication device, said mobile station having its own communications network;

a control unit in the mobile station, coupled to the receiver, for establishing and authenticating a connection through the mobile station to the mobile station'"'"'s own communications network using the user identification data of said first wireless communication device, for transferring information content between the first wireless communication device and said communications network via said mobile station, said establishing and authenticating being by transmitting by the mobile station at least a portion of information in the received user identification data to the communications network, receiving by the mobile station a challenge from the communication network to the first wireless device, forwarding the challenge to the first wireless device, receiving by the mobile station a response to the challenge from the first wireless device, and forwarding by the mobile station the response to the communication network.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein said received user data identification module is a module of a first operator, with the aid of which module the first wireless communication device can register, via said mobile station, to a network operated by said first operator.

34. An apparatus, comprising:

means in a mobile station for receiving user identification data of a first wireless communication device, said mobile station having its own communications network;

means in the mobile station, coupled to said first mentioned means, for establishing and authenticating a connection through the mobile station to the mobile station'"'"'s own communications network using the user identification data of said first wireless communication device, for transferring information content between the first wireless communication device and said communications network via said mobile station, said establishing and authenticating being by transmitting by the mobile station at least a portion of information in the received user identification data to the communications network, receiving by the mobile station a challenge from the communication network to the first wireless device, forwarding the challenge to the first wireless device, receiving by the mobile station a response to the challenge from the first wireless device, and forwarding by the mobile station the response to the communication network.

35. A non-transitory computer readable medium having computer executable program code therein, comprising:

computer executable program code in said computer readable medium for receiving user identification data of a first wireless communication device at a mobile station; and

computer executable program code in said computer readable medium for establishing and authenticating through the mobile station a connection initiated by said first wireless communication device to said communications network using the user identification data of said first wireless communication device, for transferring information content between the first wireless communication device and said communications network via said mobile station, said establishing and authenticating being by transmitting by the mobile station at least a portion of information in the received user identification data to the communications network, receiving by the mobile station a challenge from the communication network to the first wireless device, forwarding the challenge to the first wireless device, receiving by the mobile station a response to the challenge from the first wireless device, and forwarding by the mobile station the response to the communication network.

36. A system, comprising:

a first wireless communication device having user identification data;

a mobile station in its own communications network;

said first wireless communication device supplying said user identification data to said mobile station;

said mobile station establishing and authenticating a connection from the mobile station to the mobile station'"'"'s own communications network using the user identification data of said first wireless communication device, for transferring information content between the first wireless communication device and said communications network via said mobile station, said establishing and authenticating being by the mobile station transmitting at least a portion of information in the user identification data to the communications network, the mobile station receiving a challenge from the communication network to the first wireless device, the mobile station forwarding the challenge to the first wireless device, the mobile station receiving a response to the challenge from the first wireless device, and the mobile station forwarding the response to the communication network.