Method and arrangement for creation of association between user equipment and an access point

• US 8,811,987 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2008
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Selander, Gran, Vikberg, Jari, Norrman, Karl, Blom, Rolf, Nslund, Mats
• Primary Examiner(s): ZEWDU, MELESS NMN
• Application Number:
  US13/140,818
• Publication Number:
  US 20110256850A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,069 Days
• Field of Search: 455410-411, 455/416, 455418-420, 455/432.3, 455/435.1, 455/463, 455/500, 455507-508, 455/514, 455/550.1, 455/556.2, 455/516, 455/415, 455423-425, 455/461, 455/517, 455560-561, 709202-203, 709218-219, 709/225, 709/228, 709/244, 370/310, 370/328, 370/338, 370/349, 707/E17.045, 707/954, 707960-962
• US Class Current: 455/435.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, and computer program products for creating an association between a first user equipment and at least one access point assisted by a registration server in a telecommunication network are disclosed. The registration server responds to a first contact request carried out using a first association number for the access point, provided by the first user equipment, receives a first association request for the association with the access point, provided by the first user equipment, authorizes the first association request based on a first authorization information provided by the first user equipment; registers the association between the first user equipment and the access point responsive to authorization of the first association request. The first user equipment is associated with the access point and the association is administered by the registration server.

Claims

1. A method for creating, in a registration server, an association between a first user equipment and an access point that is part of a communication network and is configured to provide communication between the first user equipment and the registration server, the method comprising:

responding to a first contact request carried out using a first association number for the access point, provided by the first user equipment, wherein the first association number is pre-registered in the access point, which provides the communication between the first user equipment and the registration server, based on the use of the first association number, until the association is completed;

receiving a first association request for the association with the access point, provided by the first user equipment;

authorizing the first association request based on first authorization information provided by the first user equipment;

registering the association between the first user equipment and the access point responsive to authorization of the first association request;

responding to a second contact request carried out using a second association number for the access point, where the second contact request is provided by the associated first user equipment, wherein the second association number is pre-registered in the access point;

receiving a second association request with an identification of a second user equipment, provided by the associated first user equipment;

authorizing the second association request based on a second authorization information provided by the associated first user equipment and/or the second user equipment regarding the second user equipment; and

registering the second association between the second user equipment and the access point responsive to authorization of the second association request;

wherein the first user equipment is associated with the access point and the association is administered by the registration server; and

wherein the second user equipment is associated with the access point and the second association is administered by the registration server.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

informing the associated first user equipment with a first registration confirmation responsive to authorization of the first association request.

3. A method of operating a first user equipment to create, in a registration server, an association between the first user equipment and an access point, the method comprising:

contacting the registration server with a first contact request carried out using a first association number for the access point, wherein the first association number is pre-registered in the access point, which provides communication between the first user equipment and the registration server, based on the use of the first association number, until the association is completed;

sending a first association request for the association with the access point to the registration server;

providing a first authorization information for an authorization by the registration server;

contacting the registration server with a second contact request carried out using a second association number for the access point, wherein the second association number is pre-registered in the access point;

sending a second association request with an identification of a second user equipment; and

providing the second association request based on a second authorization information regarding the second user equipment;

wherein the first user equipment is associated with the access point and the association is administered by the registration server; and

wherein the second user equipment is associated with the access point and the second association is administered by the registration server.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

receiving a first registration confirmation responsive to authorization of the first association request.

5. A method for operating an access point to create, in a registration server, an association between a first user equipment and the access point, the method comprising:

providing communication for a first contact request carried out using a first association number for the access point, between the first user equipment and the registration server, the communication being based on the use of the first association number, which is pre-registered in the access point, until the association is completed;

forwarding a first association request for the association with the access point from the first user equipment to the registration server;

forwarding a first authorization information to the registration server;

providing communication for a second contact request carried out using a second association number for the access point, between the first user equipment and the registration server, the communication being based on the use of the second association number, which is pre-registered in the access point, until the association is completed;

forwarding a second association request with an identification of a second user equipment, provided by the associated first user equipment; and

forwarding a second authorization information to the registration server;

wherein the first user equipment is associated with the access point responsive to authorization of the first association request and the association is administered by the registration server; and

wherein the second user equipment is associated with the access point responsive to authorization of the second association request and the association is administered by the registration server.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising:

verifying if the first contact request and the first association request received from the user equipment for association with the access point are valid; and

rejecting the first association request when the first contact request and/or the first association request are not valid.

7. A non-transitory computer program product for user equipment connected to a telecommunication network, to create, in a registration server, an association between the user equipment and an access point, administered by a registration server, the user equipment having a user equipment memory and a user equipment processor, the user equipment memory comprises a computer program, which comprises a code means which when run on the user equipment causes the user equipment to:

contact the registration server with a first contact request carried out using a first association number for the access point, wherein the first association number is pre-registered in the access point, which provides communication between the first user equipment and the registration server, based on the use of the first association number, until the association is completed;

send a first association request for the association with the access point to the registration server;

provide a first authorization information for an authorization by the registration server;

contact the registration server with a second contact request carried out using a second association number for the access point, wherein the second association number is pre-registered in the access point;

send a second association request with an identification of a second user equipment; and

provide the second association request based on a second authorization information regarding the second user equipment.

8. A non-transitory computer program product for a registration server to create an association between a first user equipment and an access point that is part of a communication network and is configured to provide communication between the first user equipment and the registration server, the registration server further having a registration server database and a processor unit, the computer program product comprises a computer program, which comprises a code means which when run on the registration server causes the registration server to:

respond to a first contact request carried out using a first association number for the access point, provided by the first user equipment, wherein the first association number is pre-registered in the access point, which provides the communication between the first user equipment and the registration server, based on the use of the first association number, until the association is completed;

receive a first association request for the association with the access point, provided by the first user equipment;

authorize the first association request based on first authorization information provided by the first user equipment;

register the association between the first user equipment and the access point responsive to authorization of the first association request;

respond to a second contact request carried out using a second association number for the access point, where the second contact request is provided by the associated first user equipment, wherein the second association number is pre-registered in the access point;

receive a second association request with an identification of a second user equipment, provided by the associated first user equipment;

authorize the second association request based on a second authorization information provided by the associated first user equipment and/or the second user equipment regarding the second user equipment; and

register the second association between the second user equipment and the access point responsive to authorization of the second association request.

9. A non-transitory computer program product for a access point to create, in a registration server, an association between a first user equipment and the access point, the access point having a access point memory and a processing unit, the access point memory comprises a computer program, which comprises a code means which when run on the access point causes the access point to:

provide communication for a first contact request carried out using a first association number for the access point, between the first user equipment and the registration server, the communication being based on the use of the first association number, which is pre-registered in the access point, until the association is completed;

forward a first association request for the association with the access point from the first user equipment to the registration server;

forward a first authorization information to the registration server;

provide communication for a second contact request carried out using a second association number for the access point, between the first user equipment and the registration server, the communication being based on the use of the second association number, which is pre-registered in the access point, until the association is completed;

forward a second association request with an identification of a second user equipment, provided by the associated first user equipment; and

forward a second authorization information to the registration server.

10. A registration server configured to create an association between a first user equipment and an access point that is part of a communication network and is configured to provide communication between the first user equipment and the registration server, the registration server comprising:

a registration server database;

a processor unit;

a contact means for responding to a first contact request carried out using a first association number for the access point, provided by the first user equipment, wherein the first association number is pre-registered in the access point, which provides the communication between the first user equipment and the registration server, based on the use of the first association number, until the association is completed;

a receiving means for receiving a first association request for the association with the access point, provided by the first user equipment;

an authorizing means for authorizing the first association request based on first authorization information provided by the first user equipment;

a registering means for registering the association between the first user equipment and the access point responsive to authorization of the first association request;

a responding means for responding to a second contact request carried out using a second association number for the access point, where the second contact request is provided by the associated first user equipment, wherein the second association number is pre-registered in the access point;

the receiving means further configured for receiving a second association request with an identification of the second user equipment, provided by the associated first user equipment;

the authorizing means further configured for authorizing the second association request based on a second authorization information provided by the associated first user equipment and/or the second user equipment regarding the second user equipment; and

the registering means further configured for registering the second association between the second user equipment and the access point responsive to authorization of the second association request;

wherein the first user equipment is associated with the access point and the association is administered by the registration server; and

wherein the second user equipment is associated with the access point and the second association is administered by the registration server.

11. A first user equipment configured to create, in a registration server, an association between the first user equipment and an access point, the user equipment comprising:

a memory;

a processor;

a contact means for contacting the registration server with a first contact request carried out using a first association number for the access point, wherein the first association number is pre-registered in the access point, which provides communication between the first user equipment and the registration server, based on the use of the first association number, until the association is completed;

a sending means for sending a first association request for the association with the access point to the registration server;

a providing means for providing a first authorization information for an authorization by the registration server;

a second contact means for contacting the registration server with a second contact request carried out using a second association number for the access point, wherein the second association number is pre-registered in the access point;

a second sending means for sending a second association request with an identification of a second user equipment; and

a second providing means for providing the second association request based on a second authorization information regarding the second user equipment;

wherein the first user equipment is associated with the access point and the association is administered by the registration server; and

wherein the second user equipment is associated with the access point and the second association is administered by the registration server.

12. An access point configured to create, in a registration server, an association between a first user equipment and the access point, the access point comprising:

an access point memory, in which an association number is pre-registered;

a processing unit;

a first means for providing communication for a first contact request carried out using a first association number for the access point, between the first user equipment and the registration server, the communication being based on the use of the first association number, which is pre-registered in the access point, until the association is completed;

a second means for forwarding a first association request for the association with the access point from the first user equipment to the registration server;

a third means for forwarding a first authorization information to the registration server;

a fourth means for providing communication for a second contact request carried out using a second association number for the access point, between the first user equipment and the registration server, the communication being based on the use of the second association number, which is pre-registered in the access point, until the association is completed;

a fifth means for forwarding a second association request with an identification of a second user equipment, provided by the associated first user equipment; and

a sixth means for forwarding a second authorization information to the registration server;

an associating means for associating the first user equipment with the access point responsive to authorization of the first association request and the association is administered by the registration server; and

a second associating means for associating the second user equipment with the access point responsive to authorization of the second association request and the association is administered by the registration server.