Mobility protocol selection by an authorization system

• US 9,038,144 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2013
• Issued: 05/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Schnellbacher, George Jason, Teixeira de Magalhaes, Joao Carlos Osorio Gouvea, Shojayi, Joseph C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Truong, Thanhnga B
• Application Number:
  US14/020,449
• Publication Number:
  US 20140013401A1
• Time in Patent Office: 620 Days
• Field of Search: 726/3, 726/4, 726/21, 455/411, 455/414.1, 455/432.3, 705/14.33, 705/17, 370/236, 370/245, 370/331
• US Class Current: 726/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/00 Interconnection of, or transfer of information or other signals between, memories, input/output devices or central processing units interface circuits for specific input/output devices G06F3/00 ; multiprogram control therefor G06F9/46; multiprocessor systems G06F15/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0892 by using authentication-authorization-accounting [AAA] servers or protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/084 using delegated authorisation, e.g. open authorisation [OAuth] protocol
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/086 using security domains
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/06 Transport layer protocols, e.g. TCP [Transport Control Protocol] over wireless transmission control protocol/Internet protocol [TCP/IP] or user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16

Abstract

A wireless network authorization system receives an authorization request for a wireless communication device transmitted from a visited wireless network. A processing system selects one of a simple internet connection and an encrypted internet connection for the wireless communication device in response to the authorization request. The communication interface transfers an authorization response for delivery to the visited wireless network indicating the selected one of the simple internet connection and the encrypted internet connection.

Claims

1. A method of operating a wireless network authorization system, the method comprising:

receiving an authorization request comprising a Diameter request message for internet access by a wireless communication device transmitted from a visited wireless network, the wireless network authorization system associated with a home wireless network of the wireless communication device;

in response to the authorization request, selecting one of a simple internet connection and an encrypted internet connection for the wireless communication device; and

transferring an authorization response comprising a Diameter response message for delivery to the visited wireless network indicating to the visited wireless network that the wireless communication device is to receive the selected one of the simple internet connection and the encrypted internet connection.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

receiving the authorization request comprises receiving the authorization request indicating an application being executed on the wireless communication device; and

selecting the one of the simple internet connection and the encrypted internet connection comprises selecting the one of the simple internet connection and the encrypted internet connection based on the indicated application.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the encrypted internet connection comprises a secure tunnel to a home agent of the wireless communication device.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting the one of the simple internet connection and the encrypted internet connection comprises selecting the encrypted internet connection based on a user profile for the wireless communication device that indicates an enterprise access user.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting the one of the simple internet connection and the encrypted internet connection comprises selecting one of an IPv4 protocol and an IPv6 protocol.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein transferring the authorization response for delivery to the visited wireless network comprises transferring the authorization response indicating the selected one of the IPv4 protocol and the IPv6 protocol.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the encrypted internet connection links the wireless communication device to the internet through a home wireless network.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the simple internet connection links the wireless communication device to the internet without connecting through a home wireless network.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the encrypted internet connection utilizes a mobile internet protocol.

10. A wireless network authorization system comprising:

a communication interface configured to receive an authorization request comprising a Diameter request message for internet access by a wireless communication device transmitted from a visited wireless network, the wireless network authorization system associated with a home wireless network of the wireless communication device;

a processing system configured, in response to the authorization request, to select one of a simple internet connection and an encrypted internet connection for the wireless communication device; and

the communication interface configured to transfer an authorization response comprising a Diameter response message for delivery to the visited wireless network indicating to the visited wireless network that the wireless communication device is to receive the selected one of the simple internet connection and the encrypted internet connection.

11. The wireless network authorization system of claim 10 wherein:

the communication interface is configured to receive the authorization request indicating an application being executed on the wireless communication device; and

the processing system is configured to select the one of the simple internet connection and the encrypted internet connection based on the indicated application.

12. The wireless network authorization system of claim 10 wherein the encrypted internet connection comprises a secure tunnel to a home agent of the wireless communication device.

13. The wireless network authorization system of claim 10 wherein the processing system is configured to select the one of the simple internet connection and the encrypted internet connection based on a user profile for the wireless communication device that indicates an enterprise access user.

14. The wireless network authorization system of claim 10 wherein the processing system is configured, in response to the authorization request, to select one of an IPv4 protocol and an IPv6 protocol.

15. The wireless network authorization system of claim 14 wherein the communication interface is configured to transfer the authorization response for delivery to the visited wireless network indicating the selected one of the IPv4 protocol and the IPv6 protocol.

16. The wireless network authorization system of claim 10 wherein the encrypted internet connection links the wireless communication device to the internet through a home wireless network.

17. The wireless network authorization system of claim 10 wherein the simple internet connection links the wireless communication device to the internet without connecting through a home wireless network.

18. The wireless network authorization system of claim 10 wherein the encrypted internet connection utilizes a mobile internet protocol.