Obtaining authorization to use proximity services in a mobile communication system
First Claim
1. A method for authorizing a mobile terminal to use a proximity service, wherein the mobile terminal has a home network, comprising:
- a first proximity service function receiving, a request transmitted by the mobile terminal, wherein the first proximity service function resides in the mobile terminal'"'"'s home network and the request is a request for obtaining proximity service authorization for at least a second network that is not the mobile terminal'"'"'s home network;
in response to the request transmitted by the mobile terminal, the first proximity service function, which resides in the mobile terminal'"'"'s home network, obtaining proximity service authorization information from a second proximity service function residing in the second network; and
after obtaining the proximity service authorization from the second proximity service function, the first proximity service function, which resides in the mobile terminal'"'"'s home network, providing to the mobile terminal information required for authorization with said second network for which the request is made.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to mobile communication systems, and more particularly to technology that enables a User Equipment (UE) to obtain authorization to use Proximity-based Services.
In a first aspect of the invention, a method is performed by a home network proximity service function (104) for authorizing a mobile terminal (100) to use a proximity service, comprising receiving a request from the mobile terminal to obtain proximity service authorization in at least one other network (107, 108), obtaining authorization information from a proximity service function (103, 105) of the at least one other network for which proximity service authorization is requested, and providing the mobile terminal with authorization information required for authorization with said at least one other network for which the request is made.
27 Citations
37 Claims
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1. A method for authorizing a mobile terminal to use a proximity service, wherein the mobile terminal has a home network, comprising:
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a first proximity service function receiving, a request transmitted by the mobile terminal, wherein the first proximity service function resides in the mobile terminal'"'"'s home network and the request is a request for obtaining proximity service authorization for at least a second network that is not the mobile terminal'"'"'s home network; in response to the request transmitted by the mobile terminal, the first proximity service function, which resides in the mobile terminal'"'"'s home network, obtaining proximity service authorization information from a second proximity service function residing in the second network; and after obtaining the proximity service authorization from the second proximity service function, the first proximity service function, which resides in the mobile terminal'"'"'s home network, providing to the mobile terminal information required for authorization with said second network for which the request is made. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 34)
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10. A method for authorizing a mobile terminal to use a proximity service, the mobile terminal having a home network and the mobile terminal roaming in a visiting network, comprising:
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receiving, at a first proximity service (ProSe) function residing in the visiting network, a request from the mobile terminal to obtain proximity service authorization in a local network that is different than the mobile terminal'"'"'s home network, wherein the mobile terminal is roaming in the visiting network; the first ProSe function, which resides in the visiting network, forwarding the request to a home network proximity service (HN-ProSe) function residing in the mobile terminal'"'"'s home network; the first ProSe function, which resides in the visiting network, receiving from the HN-ProSe function, which resides in the mobile terminal'"'"'s home network, proximity service authorization information of the local network for which proximity service authorization is requested; and the first ProSe function residing in the visited network providing to the mobile terminal the authorization information received from the HN-ProSe function residing in the mobile terminal'"'"'s home network. - View Dependent Claims (11, 35)
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12. A method performed by a mobile terminal of requesting authorization to use a proximity service, comprising:
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the mobile terminal submitting a connection request to obtain a connection, wherein a core network node is configured to receive and process the connection request; the mobile terminal receiving a response to the connection request, wherein the response is transmitted by the core network node, and the response comprises address information for a proximity service (ProSe) function to which the mobile terminal should submit a proximity service authorization request; and using the address information for the ProSe function, the mobile terminal submitting to the proximity service function the proximity service authorization request, wherein the connection request is a request for establishing a Packet Data Network (PDN) connection and the core network node is a Packet Data Network Gateway (PGW), and said response comprises a destination address in a Protocol Configuration Options, PCO, field, wherein the destination address is one of;
i) a destination address of a visiting network proximity service function in case the mobile terminal is roaming and ii) a destination address of a home network proximity service function in case the mobile terminal is non-roaming.
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13. A method performed by a core network node, comprising:
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receiving a connection request transmitted by mobile terminal; and submitting a response to the connection request, the response comprising address information for a proximity service function to which the mobile terminal should submit a proximity service authorization request, wherein the method further comprise determining whether the mobile terminal is roaming in a visiting network, said response comprises a destination address in a Protocol Configuration Options (PCO) field, and the destination address is one of;
i) a destination address of a home network proximity service function in case the mobile terminal is non-roaming and ii) a destination address of a visiting network proximity service function in case the mobile terminal is roaming. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. A home network proximity service (HN-ProSe) function configured to authorize a mobile terminal to use a proximity service, wherein the mobile terminal has a home network and the HN-ProSe function resides in the mobile terminal'"'"'s home network, the HN-ProSe function comprising:
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a processor; and a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the HN-ProSe function is configured such that, in response to the HN-ProSe function receiving a request from the mobile terminal to obtain ProSe authorization in another network that is not the home network, the HN-ProSe function; i) obtains authorization information from a ProSe function of the other network for which proximity service authorization is requested; and ii) provides the mobile terminal with authorization information required for authorization with said other network for which the request is made. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A visiting network proximity service (VN-ProSe) function configured to authorize a mobile terminal to use a proximity service, the VN-PRosSe function residing in a visiting network and comprising a processing unit and a memory, said memory containing instructions executable by said processing unit, wherein the VN-ProSe function is operative to:
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receive a request from the mobile terminal to obtain proximity service authorization in a local network that is different than the mobile terminal'"'"'s home network, wherein the mobile terminal is roaming in the visiting network in which the VN-ProSe function resides; forward the request to a home network proximity service (HN-ProSe) function residing in the mobile terminal'"'"'s home network; receive from the HN-ProSe function, which resides in the mobile terminal'"'"'s home network, proximity service authorization information of the local network for which proximity service authorization is requested; and provide to the mobile terminal the authorization information received from the HN-ProSe function residing in the mobile terminal'"'"'s home network. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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27. A mobile terminal configured to request authorization to use a proximity service, the mobile terminal comprising a processing unit and a memory, said memory containing instructions executable by said processing unit, wherein said mobile terminal is operative to:
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submit a connection request to obtain a connection, wherein a core network node is configured to receive and process the connection request; receive a response to the connection request, wherein the response is transmitted by the core network node, and the response comprises address information for a proximity service (ProSe) function to which the mobile terminal should submit a proximity service authorization request; and using the address information for the ProSe function, submit to the proximity service function the proximity service authorization request. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30)
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31. A core network node (CNN) configured to address proximity service functions, the CNN comprising a processing unit and a memory, said memory containing instructions executable by said processing unit, wherein said CNN is operative to:
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receive a connection request transmitted by mobile terminal; and submit a response to the connection request, the response comprising address information for a proximity service function to which the mobile terminal should submit a proximity service authorization request, wherein said response comprises a destination address in a Protocol Configuration Options (PCO), the destination address is one of;
i) a destination address of a visiting network proximity service function in case the mobile terminal is roaming and ii) a destination address of a home network proximity service function in case the mobile terminal is non-roaming. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33)
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36. A method for authorizing a mobile terminal to use a proximity service, wherein the mobile terminal has a home network, comprising:
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receiving, at first proximity service function residing in the mobile terminal'"'"'s home network, a request transmitted by the mobile terminal for obtaining proximity service authorization; the first proximity service function residing in the mobile terminal'"'"'s home network determining whether the mobile terminal is roaming in a visited network; in response to determining that the mobile terminal is roaming in the visited network, the first proximity service function residing in the mobile terminal'"'"'s home network obtaining proximity service authorization information from a second proximity service function residing in the visited network; and the first proximity service function residing in the mobile terminal'"'"'s home network providing to the mobile terminal authorization information comprising the proximity service authorization information obtained from the second proximity service function residing in the visited network. - View Dependent Claims (37)
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Specification