SYSTEM, METHOD, NETWORK ENTITY AND DEVICE FOR CONNECTING A DEVICE TO A COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK

• US 20130291072A1
• Filed: 12/23/2010
• Published: 10/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Den Hartog, Jos
• Granted Patent: US 9,112,865 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment

Abstract

The system includes a device of a plurality of devices and a network entity for connecting the device to a communications network. The device is arranged for attempting to access the network while providing an identification of the device to the network entity. The network entity is arranged for receiving the access attempt from the device, and determining the identification of the device. The network entity determines an identification of a subscription associated with the device from a first database of the system. The network determines whether the identified subscription has the device associated therewith in a second database. The network entity allows the device to connect to the network entity or prevents the device from connecting to the communications network depending on the above determinations.

Claims

1. System including a device of a plurality of devices and a network entity for connecting the device to a communications network, the device including

a transmitting unit arranged for transmitting an access attempt to the network entity,

an indication unit arranged for indicating an identification of the device to the network entity,

the network entity including:

a receiving unit arranged for receiving the access attempt from the device,

a first determination unit arranged for determining the identification of the device,

a first accessing unit arranged for accessing a first database of the system, said first database including for each device of the plurality of devices an identification of a subscription associated therewith,

a second determination unit arranged for determining from the first database the identification of a subscription associated with the device, a second accessing unit arranged for accessing a second database of the system, said second database including for each subscription of a plurality of subscriptions an identification of at least one device associated therewith,

a third determination unit arranged for determining whether the subscription identified from the first database as being associated with the device has the device associated therewith in the second database, and

a selection unit arranged for

connecting the device to the communications network if the third determination unit determines that the identified subscription has the device associated therewith, and

preventing the device from connecting to the communications network if no identification of the device has been determined by the first determination unit, if no identification of a subscription associated with the device has been determined from the first database, or if the identified subscription does not have the device associated therewith in the second database.

2. System according to claim 1, including

a plurality of second databases each associated with one of a plurality of network operators,

wherein the network entity comprises a fourth determination unit arranged for determining the network operator associated with the subscription identified as associated with the device from the first database, and a second selection unit arranged for selecting the second database associated with the determined network operator from the plurality of second databases and for adjusting the second accessing unit to access the second database associated with the determined network operator.

3. System according to claim 1, including

a plurality of first databases each associated with one of a plurality of device group identifiers,

wherein the network entity comprises a fifth determination unit arranged for determining a device group identifier of the device, and a third selection unit arranged for selecting the first database associated with the determined device group identifier from the plurality of first databases and for adjusting the first accessing unit to access the first database associated with the determined device group identifier.

4. System according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first database includes an identification, such as a Hardware identification (HW-id), e.g. a hardware address, or Internet Protocol Multimedia Private Identity (IMPI), of the device and an identification, such as an Internet Protocol Multimedia Public Identity (IMPU), of the subscription.

5. System according to claim 1, wherein the at least one second database includes an identification, such as an Internet

Protocol Multimedia Public Identity (IMPU), of the subscription and an identification, such as a hardware identification (HW-id) or Internet Protocol Multimedia Private Identity (IMPI), of the at least one device.

6. System according to claim 1, wherein the device includes a worldwide unique identification, such as comprising a vendor identification and a serial number of the device.

7. System according to claim 1, wherein the communications network is an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) network.

8. Network entity for connecting a device of a plurality of devices to a communications network, including

a receiving unit arranged for receiving an access attempt from a connecting device,

a first determination unit arranged for determining an identification of the connecting device from the access attempt,

a first accessing unit arranged for accessing a first database, said first database including for each device of the plurality of devices an identification of a subscription associated therewith,

a second determination unit arranged for determining from the first database the identification of a subscription associated with the connecting device,

a second accessing unit arranged for accessing a second database, said second database including for each subscription of a plurality of subscription an identification of at least one device associated therewith,

a third determination unit arranged for determining whether the subscription identified from the first database as being associated with the connecting device has the connecting device associated therewith in the second database, and

a selection unit arranged for

connecting the connecting device to the communications network if the third determination unit determines that the identified subscription has the connecting device associated therewith, and

preventing the connecting device from connecting to the communications network if no identification of the connecting device has been determined by the first determination unit, if no identification of a subscription associated with the connecting device has been determined from the first database, or if the identified subscription does not have the connecting device associated therewith in the second database.

9. Network entity according to claim 8, further including

a fourth determination unit arranged for determining the network operator associated with the identified subscription associated with the connecting device, and

a second selection unit arranged for selecting the second database associated with the determined network operator from a plurality of second databases each associated with one of a plurality of network operators.

10. Network entity according to claim 8, further including

a fifth determination unit arranged for determining a device group identifier of the connecting device, and

a third selection unit arranged for selecting the first database associated with the determined device group identifier from a plurality of first databases each associated with one of a plurality of device group identifiers.

11. Network entity according to claim 8, wherein the network entity is a Proxy Call Session Control Function (P-CSCF).

12. Device being arranged for connecting to a communications network, the device including:

a transmitting unit arranged for transmitting an access attempt to a network entity of the communications network,

an indication unit arranged for indicating an identification of the device to the network entity, and

an instruction unit arranged for instructing the network entity to

determine the identification of the device,

access a first database of the system, said first database including for each device of a plurality of devices an identification of a subscription associated therewith,

determine from the first database the identification of a subscription associated with the device,

access a second database of the system, said second database including for each subscription of a plurality of subscriptions an identification of at least one device associated therewith,

determine whether the subscription identified from the first database as being associated with the device has the device associated therewith in the second database, and

allow the device to connect to the communications network if the network determines that the identified subscription has the device associated therewith, and

prevent the device from connecting to the communications network if no identification of the device has been determined by the network entity, if no identification of a subscription associated with the device has been determined from the first database, or if the identified subscription does not have the device associated therewith in the second database.

13. Device for connecting to a communications network, the device including:

a transmitting unit arranged for transmitting an access attempt to a network entity of the communications network,

an indication unit arranged for indicating an identification of the device,

a first accessing unit arranged for accessing a first database of the system, said first database including for each device of a plurality of devices an identification of a subscription associated therewith,

a second determination unit arranged for determining from the first database identification of a subscription associated with the device,

a second accessing unit arranged for accessing a second database of the system, said second database including for each subscription of a plurality of subscriptions an identification of at least one device associated therewith,

a third determination unit arranged for determining whether the subscription identified from the first database as being associated with the device has the device associated therewith in the second database, and

an instruction unit arranged for instructing the network entity to

allow the device to connect to the communications network if the third determination unit determines that the identified subscription has the device associated therewith, and to

prevent the device from connecting to the communications network if no identification of the device has been determined by the first determination unit, if no identification of a subscription associated with the device has been determined from the first database, or if the identified subscription does not have the device associated therewith in the second database.

14. Method for connecting a device of a plurality of devices to a communications network, including:

receiving, by a network entity, an access attempt to the communications network from a device,

retrieving, by the network entity, an identification of the device from the access attempt,

accessing, by the network entity, a first database including, for each device of the plurality of devices, an identification of at least one subscription associated therewith,

assessing, by the network entity, from the first database the identification of the at least one subscription associated with the device,

accessing, by the network entity, a second database including, for each subscription of a plurality of subscriptions, an identification of at least one device associated therewith,

assessing, by the network entity, from the second database whether the subscription identified from the first database as being associated with the device has the device associated therewith in the second database, and

connecting the device to the communications network if the identified subscription has the device associated therewith in the second database, and

preventing the device from connecting to the communications network if no identification of the device has been determined, if no identification of a subscription associated with the device has been determined, or if the identified subscription does not have the device associated therewith.

15. Method according to claim 14, including assessing whether a network operator associated with the identified subscription is servicing, or having roaming agreement with, the communications network, and optionally debiting an account of the subscription associated with the device for connection of the device with the communications network.