Closed group wireless local area network provisioning

• US 9,591,463 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2010
• Issued: 03/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Marin, Janne, Reunamaki, Jukka, Tuominen, Petri Antero
• Primary Examiner(s): Sorowar, Golam
• Application Number:
  US13/822,871
• Publication Number:
  US 20130324178A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,366 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/186 Processing of subscriber group data

Abstract

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided for provisioning a closed group of user equipment. In some embodiments, there is provided a method. The method may include receiving one or more first messages indicating a closed group comprising at least one of a plurality of user equipment; generating provisioning information for the closed group; and sending one or more second messages including the provisioning information to the at least one of the plurality of user equipment. Related apparatus, systems, methods, and articles are also described.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, from a user equipment, one or more first messages requesting that provisioning information be shared among a closed group within a wireless local area network, the closed group comprising a plurality of user equipment including the user equipment;

generating, in response to receiving the one or more first messages, the provisioning information for the closed group, wherein the provisioning information includes policy information for a network utilized by the user equipment, discovery information for the network, and location information of the user equipment; and

sending one or more second messages including the provisioning information to at least one of the plurality of user equipment to enable the sharing among the closed group.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more first messages comprise information identifying the closed group, wherein the information identifying the closed group includes at least one of a mobile subscriber integrated services digital network number, an international mobile subscriber identity, and an international mobile equipment identity.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating further comprises:

generating, at a device manager, at least one management object comprising the provisioning information for the closed group, wherein the device manager comprises at least one of an access network discovery and selection function or an open mobile alliance device manager.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving, the generating, and the sending are implemented by a device manager comprising at least one processor and at least one memory.

5. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to;

receive, from a user equipment, one or more first messages requesting that provisioning information be shared among a closed group within a wireless local area network, the closed group comprising a plurality of user equipment including the user equipment;

generate, in response to receiving the one or more first messages, the provisioning information for the closed group, wherein the provisioning information includes policy information for a network utilized by the user equipment, discovery information for the network, and location information of the user equipment; and

send one or more second messages including the provisioning information to at least one of the plurality of user equipment to enable the sharing among the closed group.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the one or more first messages comprise information identifying the closed group, wherein the information identifying the closed group includes at least one of a mobile subscriber integrated services digital network number, an international mobile subscriber identity, and an international mobile equipment identity.

7. A method comprising:

providing, by a first user equipment, one or more first messages requesting that provisioning information be shared among a closed group within a wireless local area network, the closed group comprising a plurality of user equipment including the first user equipment and a second user equipment, wherein the provisioning information includes policy information for a network utilized by the second user equipment, discovery information for the network, and location information of the second user equipment; and

receiving, by the first user equipment and in response to providing the one or more first messages, one or more second messages including the provisioning information shared among the plurality of user equipment of the closed group.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first user equipment provides the one or more first messages to a device manager of a mobile wireless network.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

accessing, by the first user equipment, at least one of a plurality of access points based on at least the provisioning information received.

10. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to;

provide one or more first messages requesting that provisioning information be shared among a closed group within a wireless local area network, the closed group comprising a plurality of user equipment including the apparatus and a second user equipment, wherein the provisioning information includes policy information for a network utilized by the second user equipment, discovery information for the network, and location information of the second user equipment; and

receive, in response to providing the one or more first messages, one or more second messages including the provisioning information shared among the plurality of user equipment of the closed group.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the one or more first messages are provided to a device manager of a mobile wireless network.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the apparatus is further configured to at least authenticate with a device manager of a mobile wireless network before providing the one or more first messages.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the apparatus is further configured to at least:

access at least one of a plurality of access points based on at least the provisioning information received.

14. A computer program product comprising non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving, from a user equipment, one or more first messages requesting that provisioning information be shared among a closed group within a wireless local area network, the closed group comprising a plurality of user equipment including the user equipment;

generating, in response to receiving the one or more first messages, the provisioning information for the closed group, wherein the provisioning information includes policy information for a network utilized by the user equipment, discovery information for the network, and location information of the user equipment; and

sending one or more second messages including the provisioning information to at least one of the plurality of user equipment to enable the sharing among the closed group.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the one or more first messages comprise information identifying the closed group, wherein the information identifying the closed group includes at least one of a mobile subscriber integrated services digital network number, an international mobile subscriber identity, and an international mobile equipment identity.

16. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the generating further comprises:

generating, via a device manager, at least one management object comprising the provisioning information for the closed group, wherein the device manager comprises at least one of an access network discovery and selection function or an open mobile alliance device manager.

17. A computer program product comprising non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:

providing one or more first messages requesting that provisioning information be shared among a closed group within a wireless local area network, the closed group comprising a plurality of user equipment including a user equipment comprising the at least one processor and a second user equipment, wherein the provisioning information includes policy information for a network utilized by the second user equipment, discovery information for the network, and location information of the second user equipment; and

receiving, in response to providing the one or more first messages, one or more second messages including the provisioning information shared among the plurality of user equipment of the closed group.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise:

accessing at least one of a plurality of access points based on at least the provisioning information received.

19. A method comprising:

receiving, from a first user equipment, one or more first messages requesting that provisioning information be shared among a closed group within a wireless local area network, the closed group comprising a plurality of second user equipment and the first user equipment;

generating, in response to receiving the one or more first messages, the provisioning information for the closed group, wherein the provisioning information includes policy information for a network utilized by the first user equipment, discovery information for the network, and location information of the first user equipment; and

sending one or more second messages including the provisioning information to at least one of the plurality of second user equipment to enable the sharing among the closed group.