Technique for interworking a WLAN with a wireless telephony network

Abstract

Interworking of a wireless telephony network (12) with a wireless Local Area Network (10) serving at least one mobile terminal user (14) is accomplished by reserving a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) communications channel (20) of the wireless telephony network. Control communications signals received in the WLAN (10) from the mobile terminal user are communicated across the GPRS channel (20) to the wireless telephone network (12) and likewise, control communications signals from the wireless telephony network pass to the WLAN over the channel. Using the GPRS channel to carry control communications signals between the WLAN (10) and the WLAN (12) affords the advantage of a loose coupling without the risk of sending sensitive control information over a non-secure link.

Description

[0001] Cross References to Related Applications [0002] This is a non-provisional application claiming the benefit of 35 U.S.C § 119 of non-provisional application Serial No. 10 / 186,022, entitled "TECHNIQUE FORINTERWORKING A WLAN WITH A WIRELESS TELEPHONY NETWORK," filed June 20, 2002, incorporated Here for reference. technical field [0003] The present invention relates to a technique for interworking a wireless local area network (WLAN) with a wireless telephone network to enable the sharing of control paradigms, such as those related to authentication, authorization and accounting. Background technique [0004] Advances in the field of WLAN technology have led to the availability of relatively inexpensive WLAN equipment which, as a result, has led to the availability of publicly accessible WLANs in parking lots, coffee shops, libraries and similar public facilities. More recently, WLANs have provided users with access to private data networks, such as corporate intrane...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

This solution entails the disadvantage that sensitive verification (authentication) information still tends to be potentially intercepted in transmission over the Internet

The use of leased dedicated lines virtually eliminates the possibility of interception at the expense of monthly line rentals, at the expense of greatly increasing operating costs

[0008] In addition, such tight coupling leads to the disadvantage that the IWU in the WLAN has to emulate the wireless network protocol (e.g. 3GPP protocol for the wireless telephone network for which the 3GPP standard has been adopted)

In such cases, the IWU must emulate the 3GPP protocols in order to appear as a component of the 3GPP wireless telephone network; thus, introducing undesirably large complexity

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