Nokia Corporation

Nokia Technologies Oy

Nokia Siemens Networks Oy

Govind Krishnamurthi

Hemant M Chaskar

Dirk Trossen

Nadarajah Asokan

Tat Keung Chan

Senthil Sengodan

Yile Guo

Ram Gopal

A method for authenticating communicating parties is disclosed. In the method biometric information associated with a first party is generated based on a recording of the first party presenting a predefined input parameter. Said biometric information may then be transmitted to a second party. Authenticity of a security parameter associated with the first party can then be verified based on said biometric information.

Authenticating security parameters

An apparatus and method is provided for facilitating the seamless handoff of IP connections between access routers in an IP network. The mobile IP network includes two or more access routers each serving a different geographic service area. When a mobile terminal moves from the first service area to the second service area, the mobile terminal transmits to the second access router the IP address of the previous access router. The second access router uses this information to learn capabilities of the first access router (e.g., bandwidths supported, security schemes, and the like) for use in future handoff decisions, and exchanges capability information with the first access router. The assumption is made based on the exchanged information that the access routers are geographically proximate. When another mobile terminal transitions from one service area to another, the system selects an optimal target access router based on the previously learned information, including the inferred geographic proximity between access routers.

Determining target access routers for handover

A communications system and method are provided for handing over a call from a packet-switched network (e.g., IP network) to a circuit-switched network (e.g., PLMN, PSTN, etc.). The system includes a first terminal capable of communicating via a packet-switched network and a circuit-switched network, and a second terminal capable of communicating via a circuit-switched network. The system also includes a gateway capable of mapping communications between a packet-switched network and at least one circuit-switched network. The gateway can support communication between the first terminal and the second terminal such that the first terminal has a packet-switched connection with the gateway and the second terminal has a circuit-switched connection with the gateway. The first terminal can then establish a circuit-switch connection with the gateway. Thereafter, the gateway can connect the circuit-switched connection established between the first terminal and the gateway with the circuit-switched connection between the gateway and the second terminal.

System and method for handing over a call from a packet-switched network to a circuit-switched network

A system for managing a plurality of identities of a user includes a network entity capable of operating a user naming system (UNS). The UNS is capable of receiving, from an application, a request for an identity of a user. The UNS is also capable of automatically selecting a predefined identity based upon the application and at least one user preference independent of user input to the application. The UNS can then provide the selected identity to the application. More particularly, the UNS can receive a request for the identity of a user from a trusted application. Then, the UNS can select an identity further based upon a status of the user. The UNS can alternatively receive a request for the identity of a user from a non-trusted application. Then, the UNS can select or generate a pseudonym, which the UNS can provide to the application.

System, method and computer program product for managing user identities

An apparatus and method is provided for facilitating the handoff of a mobile terminal from a first access device in a first network to a second access device in a second network. Prior to performing a handoff operation, the first access device inquires as to whether the mobile terminal is authorized to be handed off to the second access device and, in response thereto, completes the handoff. If the mobile terminal is not authorized to be handed off to the second access device, the handoff operation is inhibited, preferably without using any radio frequency resources of the second access device.

Method of pre-authorizing handovers among access routers in communication networks

Disclosed are a method and a system that operates in accordance with the method to set up a TCP session between a MS and an end point destination via a wireless network and the Internet. The method includes sending a split TCP connection request from the MS to a PEP located in the network, where the split TCP request includes information for identifying a network address of the MS and a network address of the end point destination. The method further includes, in response to receiving the split TCP connection request from the MS, establishing a split TCP connection that includes a wireless TCP (WTCP) connection between the MS and the PEP, and a TCP connection at least part way between the PEP and the end point destination. In one embodiment the end point destination is an application server that is coupled to the Internet, and the TCP connection is established between the PEP and the application server. In another embodiment the end point destination is a second MS that is coupled to a second PEP in a second wireless network, and the TCP connection is established at least as far as the second PEP, and then as a WTCP connection from the second PEP to the second MS.

Method and apparatus providing a protocol to enable a wireless TCP session using a split TCP connection

Protocol to determine optimal target access routers for seamless IP-level handover

A method, system and computer program are disclosed to perform a low latency inter-technology handoff of a MN from a WLAN to a cellular network. The method includes transmitting a Bearer Context from the MN for use by the cellular network, the Bearer Context containing information required to establish access network bearers in the cellular network for an ongoing Internet session of the MN; and responding to the Bearer Context with a Router Advertisement that is forwarded to the MN. The Bearer Context may be piggybacked on another message, or it may be sent as a separate message. The Bearer Context includes information expressive of: (a) a QoS requirement of an ongoing application or applications of the MN; (b) a unique identity of the MN that is recognizable by the cellular network; (c) parameters to facilitate the creation of a Point-to-Point Protocol state in the cellular network; and (d) parameters to enable establishment of packet filters in the cellular network. The method also includes authenticating and authorizing with the target cellular network for the purpose of executing handoff.

Method and apparatus for performing inter-technology handoff from WLAN to cellular network

The present invention provides a relocation of an application-specific functionality for an application that a mobile terminal (mobile node) is executing. Entities that may provide application-specific functionalities that assist the application include a location-based server (that may be associated with a supplementary service provider functionality), a transcoder proxy, and a security gateway. The relocation of the application-specific functionality with a network layer-level handoff enables the mobile terminal to seamlessly execute an application that utilizes the media content from a content source that is supporting the mobile terminal before the handoff Subsequent to the handoff, the mobile terminal registers with a current access router in order to inform the current access router about application context information. In the exemplary embodiments, the access routers and the content source support the discovery of an entity that can support the application-specific functionality and the configuration of the application-specific functionality after the handoff.

Relocation of application-specific functionality during seamless network layer-level handoffs

This invention provides a messaging interface between a Mobile Node (MN) and an Access Router (AR) that enables the registration of MN preferences with a current AR (AR_current) and, when appropriate, the notification of the MN of the discovery of an AR in the proximity of AR_current that matches MN-specified preference criteria. The notifying AR_current may be the one that the MN originally registered its preferences with, or it could be another AR that, due to movement by the MN, has assumed the role of AR_current. In this case the MN preference data set to be transferred from one AR to another in response to the movement of the MN. The presently preferred messaging interface has two main modes of operation. In a first mode of operation, a 'Query' mode, the MN explicitly queries AR_current for information descriptive of the capabilities of nearby ARs. AR_current responds to the MN query after examining the information stored in its PNL. In a second mode of operation, an 'Event Notification' mode, the MN registers a request with AR_current that AR_current notify the MN whenever an AR satisfying certain criteria is available in the proximity of AR_current. The request registered by the MN may be transferred from one AR to another during handoff of the MN.

Method and apparatus for alerting mobile nodes of desirable access characteristics

An apparatus and method is provided for forwarding multicast packets in a communication network using a physically scoped routing protocol. Each of a plurality of access routers maintains information concerning the addresses of physically neighboring access routers. Multicast packets received by each access router are evaluated to determine whether they should be routed using a conventional administratively scoped routing rule or using a physically scoped routing rule. Administratively scoped packets are routed to the multicast address using conventional administrative scoping rules. Physically scoped packets are &ldquo;tunneled&rdquo; by encapsulating them in a unicast packet, which is then transmitted to one or more physically neighboring access routers. An optional time-to-live parameter allows multiple levels of neighboring proximity to be specified.

Growing community of inventors

Arlington, MA, United States of America

Govind Krishnamurthi