Accuris Technologies Limited

Ian Smith

Aidan Dillon

Robert Ryan

Finbarr Coghlan

Liam Cooke

In a method for authenticating a device on a wireless local area network (WLAN) there is a once-off registration phase in which the device sends registration data in a MO SMS via the mobile network to the authentication system, and the authentication system performs a query to this mobile network to validate the subscriber and resolve the subscriber and device identifiers. The device receives network access information from the authentication system, allowing it to generate network access credentials on an on-going basis. This is permanent unless the registration is revoked due, for example, to the device being stolen. The network access information may be provided by the authentication system generating and signing a unique subscriber certificate during registration, and the device downloading it. The device uses the signed certificate to generate and encrypt the network access credentials for the network access.

Device authentication method and devices

A gateway () resides in an IP-based network. It acts as a controlling or home HLR for a mobile device roaming in this network, emulating an MSC or VLR to the home network HLR. Thus, as far as the home network HLR is aware, the subscriber is roaming in a foreign network of equivalent type of technology. Meanwhile, the gateway of the invention manages a subscriber profile and authentication as if the visited network were the home network. In fact, the gateway in combination with the home network HLR acts as an IMS-standard HSS. The gateway () enables wireless carriers to use existing legacy network infrastructure to provide a smooth evolution to the next generation network architecture, and it supports voice and data inter-working between existing 2/2.5G networks and next-generation IP based networks. For inter-standard roaming, the gatewayextends the existing roaming footprint of an ANSI-41 subscriber roaming in GSM foreign mode. In GSM foreign mode, the ANSI-41 subscriber may roam onto alternative access networks using a sponsor GSM IMSI.

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Dunleer, Ireland

Ian Smith