×

Method and apparatus for secure immediate wireless access in a telecommunications network

  • US 8,046,581 B2
  • Filed: 03/26/2007
  • Issued: 10/25/2011
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2002
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A bootstrap process for secure immediate wireless access by at least one non-active wireless device for exchange of information via one or more existing networks, comprising the steps of:

  • upon being powered on, at least one wireless device checking its state;

    responsive to detection of a non-active state, said at least one non-active wireless device automatically requesting access to a wireless network, and, if said access request is accepted, being issued a limited profile from an enrollment server on said wireless network;

    using said limited profile, said at least one non-active wireless device automatically registering on said wireless network;

    from said wireless network said at least one wireless device automatically requesting access to an IP (internet protocol) network, wherein said at least one wireless device is assigned an IP address and granted access to said IP network, wherein said access to said IP network is limited to an activation realm for said non-active wireless device;

    said non-active wireless device having limited access to said activation realm automatically initiating contact with an enrollment server on said activation realm; and

    during an interaction with said enrollment server, assigning and programming device parameters to said wireless device;

    wherein when said assigning and programming are complete, said at least one non-active wireless device is activated;

    wherein the step of said at least one non-active wireless device requesting access to said wireless network and being issued a limited profile from a server on said wireless network comprises the steps of requesting a terminal identifier by said at least one non-active wireless device from an access node base station, and receiving said terminal identifier;

    said at least one non-active wireless device and said access node base station negotiating a data link;

    said access node base station issuing an authentication challenge to said at least one non-active wireless device;

    said at least one non-active wireless device responding to said to said challenge with a password and a Bootstrap Network Access Identifier (BNAI), wherein said BNAI is constructed using a unique device identifier, activation session information and an activation realm;

    said access node base station relaying said challenge response to an authentication server in an access request, wherein the authentication server recognizes the activation realm of the at least one non-active wireless device and proxies the access request to an activation server;

    said activation server extracting said unique device identifier and said activation session information from said BNAI, ensuring that the at least one non-active wireless device is entitled to activation, and, if said password is what it is expected to be, returning an access-accept message wherein a mobile node identifier (MN ID) is assigned to said least one non-active wireless device, wherein said MN ID is mapped to a Bootstrap Mobile Subscriber Identifier (BMSID); and

    receiving said access-accept message by said authentication server and relaying said access-accept message to the access node base station.

View all claims
  • 5 Assignments
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×