Telecommunications network access rejection

• US 20100190497A1
• Filed: 12/11/2009
• Published: 07/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vodafone Intellectual Property Licensing Limited
• Original Assignee: Vodafone Intellectual Property Licensing Limited
• Inventors: Pudney, Christopher David, Fox, David Andrew, Howard, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 8,565,764 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/435.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration

Abstract

A method of controlling an attach procedure of a device 1 to a telecommunications network 140 following receipt of an attach rejection from the telecommunications network, the method including assessing the authenticity of the attach rejection, and selecting a criterion for performing a subsequent attach attempt by the device to the network in dependence upon the authenticity assessment. The authenticity may be assessed by determining whether the rejection was received by an authenticated communication link or a signed message. The authenticity may also be assessed by checking that the cause of the reject is consistent with information held by the device. The selected criterion may be power cycling of the device or the passage of a time period.

Claims

1. A method of controlling an attach procedure of a device to a telecommunications network following receipt of an attach rejection from the telecommunications network, the method including assessing the authenticity of the attach rejection, and selecting a criterion for performing a subsequent attach attempt by the device to the network in dependence upon the authenticity assessment.

2. The method of claim 1, including determining the authenticity of the attach rejection in dependence upon whether the attach rejection was received via an authenticated communication link between the device and the network.

3. The method of claim 2, including providing a hub which connects the telecommunications network to an authentication server to enable establishment of the authenticated communication link.

4. The method of claim 1, including determining the authenticity of the attach rejection in dependence upon whether there is a trust relationship between the device and the network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the attach rejection from the telecommunications network includes a rejection cause indicator, and the method further includes determining the authenticity of the attach rejection by verifying the rejection cause indicator.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the rejection cause indicator indicates that the device is not allowed to operate in the telecommunications network, and wherein the step of verifying the rejection cause indicator includes comparing the network indicated in the rejection cause indicator with a list of pre-stored networks at the device.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the rejection cause indicator indicates that the device lacks a subscriber identification module, SIM, and wherein the step of verifying the rejection cause indicator includes determining at the device whether the subscriber identification module is in fact present.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the criterion for performing a subsequent attach attempt includes the occurrence of a particular event.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the event is the power cycling of the device.

10. The method of claims 1, wherein the criterion for performing a subsequent attach attempt includes one or more of:

passage of a time period, and

a minimum movement in location.

11. A method of controlling attachment of a telecommunications device to a telecommunications network, the method including establishing a trust relationship between the device and the network prior to accepting or rejecting an attachment request from the device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of establishing the trust relationship includes establishing an authenticated communication link between the device and the network.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of establishing the trust relationship includes determining whether the device and/or the network include predetermined secret information.

14. A telecommunications device for controlling an attach procedure of the device to a telecommunications network following receipt of an attach rejection from the telecommunications network, the device including means operable to assess the authenticity of the attach rejection, and means operable to select a criterion for performing a subsequent attach attempt by the device to the network in dependence upon the authenticity assessment.

15. A telecommunications system for controlling attachment of a telecommunications device to a telecommunications network, the system including means operable to establish a trust relationship between the device and the network prior to accepting or rejecting an attachment request from the device.