System and method for mobile telephone roaming

• US 8,116,735 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2008
• Issued: 02/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Simo Holdings, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Simo Holdings, Inc.
• Inventors: Liu, Jing, Xu, Richard, Qin, Xiaolei
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Lester
• Assistant Examiner(s): KELLEY, STEVEN SHAUN
• Application Number:
  US12/039,646
• Publication Number:
  US 20090221265A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,447 Days
• Field of Search: 455/411, 455/432.2, 455/432.1, 455/435.1, 455/556.1, 370/328
• US Class Current: 455/411
• 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: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/35 Protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning

Abstract

A foreign wireless communication system is operated in a local communication network as if the foreign wireless communication system were a local wireless communication system. A data communication link is established between the wireless communication system and a service provider in a local wireless communication network. An outgoing request for authentication information is communicated from the wireless communication system to a remote administration system over the data communication link. The authentication information is received over the data communication link from the administration system and is transmitted over a signal link from the wireless communication system to the service provider. A requested wireless communication service is received at the wireless communication system based on authentication of the wireless communication system by the service provider using the authentication information.

Claims

1. A method of operating a foreign wireless communication device in a local communication network as a virtual local communication device, said method comprising:

enabling an initial setting of said foreign wireless communication device for enrolling said foreign wireless communication device in service, wherein said initial setting is based on communications between said foreign wireless communication device and a remote administration system, said foreign wireless communication device comprises a foreign wireless client and an extension unit which are coupled with each other, said extension unit wirelessly communicating directly with said foreign wireless client, said local communication network and said remote administration system, and said remote administration system further comprises at least one authentication server, at least one provisioning server, at least one communication server, at least one subscriber database, at least one routing database, and at least one authentication bank having a plurality of subscriber identity modules (SIMs), phones and authentication data, and wherein said at least one authentication server and said at least one provision server are coupled to a data network;

establishing a data communication link to transmit information among said foreign wireless communication device, a service provider in said local communication network, and said remote administration system upon said enabling said initial setting, wherein said service provider comprises a plurality of mobile telephone switching centers and base cellular centers, and said service provider further is coupled to said data network and a phone network;

establishing a local authentication information which includes a local number and an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) in response to a local authentication request by said service provider to said foreign wireless client upon said established data communication link, wherein said extension unit wirelessly relays said local authentication information request to said at least one authentication server and obtains a suitable local authentication information from said at least one authentication bank coupled to said at least one said authentication server;

establishing a virtual local wireless service provided by said service provider to said foreign wireless client according to said obtained suitable local authentication information, wherein said virtual local wireless service is wirelessly requested by said extension unit through said remote administration system; and

providing a communication service to said foreign wireless communication device according to said established virtual wireless service, wherein said foreign wireless client becomes said virtual local wireless communication device acting as a local cellular phone with an assigned local phone number over a voice link via said phone network and/or said data link via said data network through said at least one communication server, and said at least one communication server is coupled to said data network, said phone network and said at least one routing database having lists of preferred routing details for connections between different geographic locations, and said assigned local phone number is based on said obtained suitable local authentication information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the enabling an initial setting step further comprising:

requesting a subscription to said remote administration system from said foreign wireless client, said extension unit, or a combination of said foreign wireless client and said extension unit;

establishing account details of said foreign wireless client and/or said extension unit, wherein said account details are then stored in said at least one subscriber database by said at least one authentication server;

downloading and installing a remote authentication module from said remote administration system to said foreign wireless client and/or said extension unit;

transmitting credential parameters and location parameters of said foreign wireless client and/or said extension unit to said at least one provision server, wherein said credential parameters and said location parameters are then stored in said at least one provision server; and

sending an acknowledgement to said foreign wireless client and/or said extension unit upon said credential parameters and said location parameters are stored in said at least one provision server.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the establishing a data link step further comprising:

sending a request for said data link from said foreign wireless client and/or said extension unit to said service provider over a command link;

requesting an authentication information stored in said foreign wireless client and/or said extension unit from said service provider to said foreign wireless client and/or said extension unit over said command link;

locating said authentication information stored in, said foreign wireless client and/or said extension unit;

sending the located authentication information to said service provider over said command link;

receiving the located authentication information from said foreign wireless client and/or said extension unit at said service provider;

authenticating said foreign wireless client and/or said extension unit according to the received authentication information by said service provider; and

providing said data link, which is different to said command link, upon said authenticated said foreign wireless client and/or said extension unit.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the establishing a local authentication information step further comprising:

sending a request for the communication service from said extension unit to said service provider over a command link;

responding by requesting authentication information from said service provider to said extension over said command link;

requesting said local authentication information by said extension unit from said remote administration system over said established data link ;

looking for suitable local authentication information from said at least one authentication bank in response to the requested local authentication information; and

sending said suitable local authentication information found from said at least one authentication bank to said extension unit from said remote administration system over said established data link.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein responding by requesting an authentication information step further comprising:

responding by requesting said authentication information from said service provider to said foreign wireless client; and

transmitting said responding from said foreign wireless client to said extension unit.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the requesting said local authentication information step further comprising:

requesting said local authentication information by said extension unit to said foreign wireless client; and

transmitting said requesting from said foreign wireless client to said remote administration system.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein sending said suitable local authentication information step further comprising:

sending said suitable local authentication information found from said at least one authentication bank to said foreign wireless client from said remote administration system over said established data link; and

transmitting said suitable local authentication information from said foreign wireless client to said extension unit.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the establishing a virtual local wireless service step further comprising:

sending said obtained suitable local authentication information by said extension unit to said service provider; and

authenticating said extension unit as said virtual local wireless communication device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the providing a communication step further comprising:

providing a communication service to said extension unit according to said authenticating said extension unit as said virtual local wireless communication device;

providing a conduit for said communication service by said extension unit to said foreign wireless client; and

communicating with a destination device by said foreign wireless client via said extension unit.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the establishing a virtual local wireless service step further comprising:

sending said obtained suitable local authentication information by said extension unit to said foreign wireless client;

transmitting said obtained suitable local authentication information from said foreign wireless client to said service provider; and

authenticating said foreign wireless client as said virtual local wireless communication device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the providing a communication step further comprising:

providing a communication service to said foreign wireless client according to said authenticating said foreign wireless client as said virtual local wireless communication device; and

communicating with a destination device by said foreign wireless client.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said foreign wireless client and said extension unit are configured to one device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said foreign wireless client and said extension unit are configured to two individual devices.

14. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising requesting a re-authentication by said service provider to said foreign wireless communication device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein requesting a re-authentication step further comprising:

providing a request for the communication service by said service provider to said foreign wireless client and/or said extension unit over a command link;

requesting authentication information from said service provider to said foreign wireless client and/or said extension unit over said command link periodically;

requesting local re-authentication information by said foreign wireless client and/or said extension unit from said remote administration system over said data link;

looking for suitable local re-authentication information stored in said remote administration system by said remote administration system;

sending said suitable local re-authentication information to said foreign wireless client and/or said extension unit from said remote administration system over said data link;

receiving said suitable local re-authentication information by said foreign wireless client and/or said extension unit;

sending said suitable local re-authentication information from said foreign wireless client and/or said extension unit to said service provider;

authenticating said foreign wireless client and/or said extension unit as said virtual local wireless communication device; and

continuing to provide said communication service to said foreign, wireless client and/or said extension unit.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein said local authentication information is stored in one of SIM cards, universal subscriber identity module (USIM) cards, removable identity module (RUIM) cards, Willcom-SIM cards.