METHODS, SYSTEMS, AND COMPUTER READABLE MEDIA FOR PROVIDING ACCESS NETWORK SIGNALING PROTOCOL INTERWORKING FOR USER AUTHENTICATION

• US 20170238178A1
• Filed: 04/28/2017
• Published: 08/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: McCann, Thomas Matthew
• Granted Patent: US 9,930,528 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/062 Pre-authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems

Abstract

A method for access network signaling protocol interworking for user authentication includes receiving, from a node in an access network, a message formatted according to a signaling protocol of the access network and containing an authentication payload formatted according to an authentication protocol. The method further includes, in response to receiving the message, formulating a message formatted according to a signaling protocol of a cellular network, the message including the authentication payload formatted according to the authentication protocol. The method further includes forwarding the message formatted according to the signaling protocol of the cellular network to a node in the cellular network that implements the authentication protocol, the message including the authentication payload formatted according to the authentication protocol.

Claims

1. A method for access network signaling protocol interworking for user authentication, the method comprising:

in a Diameter signaling router (DSR) including at least one message processor;

receiving, from a node in an access network, a message formatted according to a signaling protocol of the access network and containing an authentication payload formatted according to an authentication protocol, wherein the signaling protocol of the access network comprises a Diameter protocol;

in response to receiving the message, formulating a message formatted according to a signaling protocol of a cellular network, the message including the authentication payload formatted according to the authentication protocol;

forwarding the message formatted according to the signaling protocol of the cellular network to a node in the cellular network that implements the authentication protocol, the message including the authentication payload formatted according to the authentication protocol, wherein the signaling protocol of the cellular network comprises a remote access dial in user service (RADIUS) protocol.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the Diameter protocol comprises a Diameter SWa protocol.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the Diameter protocol comprises a Diameter STa protocol.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the authentication protocol comprises an extensible authentication protocol (EAP) protocol.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the node in the cellular network comprises an authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) server.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the authentication protocol is implemented end to end between the node in the access network and the node in the cellular network.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the Diameter signaling router is stateless with respect to the authentication protocol.

8. A system for access network signaling protocol interworking for user authentication, the system comprising:

a Diameter signaling router (DSR) including at least one message processor;

an interworking function in the DSR and implemented by the at least one processor for receiving, from a node in an access network, a message formatted according to a signaling protocol of the access network and containing an authentication payload formatted according to an authentication protocol, for, in response to receiving the message, formulating a message formatted according to a signaling protocol of a cellular network, the message including the authentication payload formatted according to the authentication protocol, and for forwarding the message formatted according to the signaling protocol of the cellular network to a node in the cellular network that implements the authentication protocol, the message including the authentication payload formatted according to the authentication protocol, wherein the signaling protocol of the access network comprises a Diameter protocol and wherein the signaling protocol of the cellular network comprises a remote dial in user service (RADIUS) protocol.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the Diameter protocol comprises a Diameter SWa protocol.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the Diameter protocol comprises a Diameter STa protocol.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein the authentication protocol comprises an extensible authentication protocol (EAP) protocol.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein the node in the cellular network comprises an authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) server.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the authentication protocol is implemented end to end between the node in the access network and the node in the cellular network.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the Diameter signaling router is stateless with respect to the authentication protocol.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon executable instructions that when executed by the processor on a computer control the computer to perform steps comprising:

in a Diameter signaling router (DSR) including at least one message processor;

receiving, from a node in an access network, a message formatted according to a signaling protocol of the access network and containing an authentication payload formatted according to an authentication protocol, wherein the signaling protocol of the access network comprises a Diameter protocol;

in response to receiving the message, formulating a message formatted according to a signaling protocol of a cellular network, the message including the authentication payload formatted according to the authentication protocol;

forwarding the message formatted according to the signaling protocol of the cellular network to a node in the cellular network that implements the authentication protocol, the message including the authentication payload formatted according to the authentication protocol, wherein the signaling protocol of the cellular network comprises a remote access dial in user service (RADIUS) protocol.