Internetworking between a first network and a second network

• US 8,064,904 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2004
• Issued: 11/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Hunter, Andrew T., Jain, Nikhil
• Primary Examiner(s): TAYLOR, BARRY W
• Application Number:
  US10/804,265
• Publication Number:
  US 20050010692A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,805 Days
• Field of Search: 455/410, 455/411, 455/432.1, 455/435.1, 455/466
• US Class Current: 455/432.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/71 Hardware identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/72 Subscriber identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/24 between backbone network devices

Abstract

A general global gateway (GGG) internetworks between a first network and a second network so that a mobile station having a subscription in a first network can roam into a second network and be authenticated to use the second network. The GGG obtains authentication parameters from the mobile station and determines whether the authentication parameters satisfy GGG authentication criteria. If it does, then the GGG accesses the first network and stores authentication information from the first network for subsequent accesses to the first network by the mobile station.

Claims

1. A general global gateway (GGG), between a first network and a second network, configured to support communication between the first network and the second network to enable a mobile station (MS) subscribed in the first network to communicate using the second network, comprising:

a database configured to store an identity of the mobile station; and

a logic unit configured to execute program logic to

obtain authentication information from the first network based on the identity of the mobile station,

store the authentication information for the first network so that subsequent accesses of the other networks by the mobile station can be authenticated by the GGG without contacting the first network, and

determine whether authentication parameters from the mobile station satisfy GGG authentication criteria, and

wherein the GGG appears as a visitor location register to both the first and second networks.

2. The GGG of claim 1, further comprising

a location register configured to store a location of the mobile station to enable a call incoming to the mobile station from the first network to route the incoming call to the mobile station through the GGG.

3. The GGG of claim 2, further comprising

a second location register configured to store a location of the mobile station to enable a call outgoing from the mobile station to the first network to route the outgoing call from the mobile station through the GGG.

4. The GGG of claim 1, further comprising

a service center configured to send and receive messages to and from the second network according to a message format of the service center.

5. The GGG of claim 4, wherein the service center is configured to send and receive Internet Protocol (IP) messages to and from the second network.

6. The GGG of claim 4, wherein the service center is a short message service center (SMSC) configured to send and receive messages to and from the second network.

7. The GGG of claim 6, wherein the SMSC is configured to send and receive SMS messages to validate a subscription in a network.

8. The GGG of claim 4, wherein the messages deliver services that are provided by the first network that may not be provided by the second network.

9. The GGG of claim 1, wherein the logic unit is further configured to execute program logic to

obtain authentication information from the second network based on the identity of a second mobile station subscribed with the second network but seeking to communicate using the first network;

and

store the authentication information for the second network so that subsequent accesses of other networks by the second mobile station can be authenticated by the GGG without contacting the second network.

10. A general global gateway (GGG), between a first network and a second network, configured to support communication between the first network and the second network to enable a mobile station (MS) subscribed in the first network to communicate using the second network, comprising:

means for storing an identity of the mobile station; and

means for obtaining authentication information from the first network based on the identity of the mobile station,

means for storing the authentication information for the first network so that subsequent accesses of other networks by the mobile station can be authenticated by the GGG without contacting the first network, and

means for determining whether authentication parameters from the mobile station satisfy GGG authentication criteria, and

wherein the GGG appears as a visitor location register to both the first and second networks.

11. The GGG of claim 10, further comprising means for storing a location of the mobile station to enable a call incoming to the mobile station from the first network to route the incoming call to the mobile station through the GGG.

12. The GGG of claim 11, further comprising means for storing a location of the mobile station to enable a call outgoing from the mobile station to the first network to route the outgoing call from the mobile station through the GGG.

13. The GGG of claim 10, further comprising:

means for obtaining authentication information from the second network based on the identity of a second mobile station subscribed with the second network but seeking to communicate using the first network; and

means for storing the authentication information for the second network so that subsequent accesses of other networks by the second mobile station can be authenticated by the GGG without contacting the second network.

14. A method of wireless communications between a first network and a second network enabling a mobile station (MS) subscribed in the first network to communicate using the second network, comprising:

storing an identity of the mobile station;

obtaining authentication information from the first network based on the identity of the mobile station;

storing the authentication information from the first network in a general global gateway (GGG), between a first network and a second network, so that subsequent accesses of other networks by the mobile station can be authenticated by the GGG without contacting the first network, wherein the GGG appears as a visitor location register to both the first and second networks;

using the authentication information from the first network stored at the GGG to authenticate the mobile station; and

determining whether authentication parameters from the mobile station satisfy GGG authentication criteria.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising storing a location of the mobile station to enable a call incoming to the mobile station from the first network to route the incoming call to the mobile station through the GGG.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising storing a location of the mobile station to enable a call outgoing from the mobile station to the first network to route the outgoing call from the mobile station through the GGG.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising communicating directly from the mobile station to the first network after the mobile station has been authenticated in the first network.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

obtaining authentication information from the second network based on the identity of a second mobile station subscribed with the second network but seeking to communicate using the first network; and

storing the authentication information for the second network so that subsequent accesses of other networks by the second mobile station can be authenticated by the GGG without contacting the second network.

19. Computer readable media embodying a program of instructions executable by a computer program to perform a method of wireless communications between a first network and a second network enabling a mobile station subscribed in the first network to communicate using the second network, the method comprising:

storing an identity of the mobile station;

obtaining authentication information from the first network based on the identity of the mobile station;

storing the authentication information for the first network in a general global gateway (GGG), between the first network and the second network, so that subsequent accesses of other networks by the mobile station can be authenticated by the GGG without contacting the first network;

using the stored authentication information from the first network to authenticate the mobile station; and

determining whether authentication parameters from the mobile station satisfy GGG authentication criteria.

20. The computer readable media of claim 19, the method further comprising:

obtaining authentication information from the second network based on the identity of a second mobile station subscribed with the second network but seeking to communicate using the first network; and

storing the authentication information for the second network so that subsequent accesses of other networks by the second mobile station can be authenticated by the GGG without contacting the second network.

21. A processor comprising:

a processing circuit configured to

store an identity of the mobile station;

obtain authentication information from the first network based on the identity of the mobile station;

store the authentication information for the first network in a general global gateway (GGG), between a first network and a second network, so that subsequent accesses of other networks by the mobile station can be authenticated by the GGG without contacting the first network;

use the stored authentication information from the first network to authenticate the mobile station; and

determine whether authentication parameters from the mobile station satisfy GGG authentication criteria; and

wherein the GGG appears as a visitor location register to both the first and second networks.

22. The processor of claim 21, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to:

obtain authentication information from the second network based on the identity of a second mobile station subscribed with the second network but seeking to communicate using the first network; and

store the authentication information for the second network so that subsequent accesses of other networks by the second mobile station can be authenticated by the GGG without contacting the second network.