System, method, and computer-readable medium for mobile-terminated voice call processing for a mobile station attached with an IP-femtocell system

• US 9,265,072 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2009
• Issued: 02/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Open Invention Network LLC
• Inventors: Osborn, Christopher Martin Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): SEFCHECK, GREGORY B
• Application Number:
  US12/605,525
• Publication Number:
  US 20100041375A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,304 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/085 Access point devices with remote components

Abstract

A system, method, and computer readable medium that facilitates processing of mobile-terminated voice calls for a mobile station attached with a femtocell system are provided. A convergence server deployed in a core network receives a call request for a mobile station attached with a femtocell system, performs validation of the mobile station against a subscriber profile maintained by the convergence server, transmits a Session Initiation Protocol Invite message to the femtocell system, receives a paging authentication request, and engages a mobile core network in an authentication process for the mobile station.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating processing of mobile-terminated voice calls for a mobile station attached with a femtocell system, comprising:

receiving, by a convergence server deployed in at least one of an IP core network or an IMS core network, a call request for a mobile station attached with a femtocell system;

performing, by the convergence server, validation of the mobile station against a subscriber profile maintained by the convergence server;

transmitting, by the convergence server, an invite message to the femtocell system;

receiving, from the femtocell system by the convergence server, a paging authentication request created by the femtocell system, the paging authentication request comprising authentication data received from the mobile station by the femtocell system;

engaging, by the convergence server, a mobile core network in an authentication process for the mobile station;

transmitting, by the convergence server, a global challenge response to the femtocell system, wherein the global challenge response includes an authentication token that is generated by the convergence server; and

determining, by the convergence server, whether the authentication token is present in all subsequent invite response messages received from the femtocell system for the mobile terminated voice call to the mobile station and denying by the convergence server the establishment of session initiation protocol (SIP) calls if the authentication token is not received.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising notifying, by the femtocell system, the mobile station that authentication is required by the mobile station for system access.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the convergence server engages the mobile core network in an authentication process responsive to receipt of the paging authentication request.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing, by the femtocell system, a voice channel with the mobile station responsive to receipt of the global challenge response.

5. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions tangibly embodied thereon for execution by a processing system, the computer-executable instructions for facilitating processing of mobile-terminated voice calls for a mobile station attached with a femtocell system, that, when executed, cause the processing system to:

receive, by a convergence server deployed in at least one of an IP core network or an IMS core network, a call request for a mobile station attached with a femtocell system;

perform, by the convergence server, validation of the mobile station against a subscriber profile maintained by the convergence server;

transmit, by the convergence server, an invite message to the femtocell system;

receive, from the femtocell system by the convergence server, a paging authentication request created by the femtocell system, the paging authentication request comprising authentication data received from the mobile station by the femtocell system;

engage, by the convergence server, a mobile core network in an authentication process for the mobile station responsive to receipt of the paging authentication request;

transmit, by the convergence server, a global challenge response to the femtocell system, wherein the global challenge response includes an authentication token that is generated by the convergence server; and

determine, by the convergence server, whether the authentication token is present in all subsequent invite response messages received from the femtocell system for the mobile terminated voice call to the mobile station and deny by the convergence server the establishment of session initiation protocol (SIP) calls if the authentication token is not received.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the processing system, cause the processing system to notify, by the femtocell system, the mobile station that authentication is required by the mobile station for system access.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the processing system, cause the processing system to establish, by the femtocell system, a voice channel with the mobile station responsive to receipt of the global challenge response.

8. A network system that facilitates processing of mobile-terminated voice calls for a mobile station attached with a femtocell system, comprising:

at least one of an IP core network or an IMS core network that includes a convergence server;

a mobile core network that includes an authentication center and a Home Location Register; and

an Internet Protocol-based femtocell system that provides a radio access point for a mobile station, wherein the convergence server receives a call request for a mobile station attached with a femtocell system, performs validation of the mobile station against a subscriber profile maintained by the convergence server, transmits an invite to the femtocell system, receives from the femtocell system a paging authentication request created by the femtocell system, the paging authentication request comprising authentication data received from the mobile station by the femtocell system, engages the mobile core network in an authentication process for the mobile station responsive to receipt of the paging authentication request, transmits a global challenge response to the femtocell system including an authentication token that is generated by the convergence server, and determines whether the authentication token is present in all subsequent invite response messages received from the femtocell system for the mobile terminated voice call to the mobile station and denies the establishment of session initiation protocol (SIP) calls if the authentication token is not received.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the femtocell system notifies the mobile station that authentication is required by the mobile station for system access.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the femtocell system establishes a voice channel with the mobile station responsive to receipt of the global challenge response.