Access to PLMN networks for non-PLMN devices, and to issues arising in interfaces in general between PLMN and non-PLMN networks
View Patent ↗Interface device for interfacing between a PLMN network and a non-PLMN network, the PLMN network being configured to recognize cellular base stations as nodes thereof through which to mediate connections to cellular mobile devices, the non-PLMN networks each comprising a plurality of access points for mediating connections to network compatible mobile devices, and for which the network compatible mobile devices are not required to be cellular devices. The interface device is configured as a node of the PLMN network to appear to the PLMN network as a standard cellular base station, and comprises functionality to make non-cellular devices connecting to the non-PLMN network and attempting to access the PLMN network through the non-PLMN network appear as cellular devices to the PLMN network.
1. A simulated SIM gateway (SSG) that interfaces between a public land mobile network (PLMN) network and a non-PLMN network, wherein the PLMN network is configured to recognize cellular base stations as nodes of the PLMN network through which the PLMN network can mediate connections to cellular mobile devices, wherein the non-PLMN networks each comprises a plurality of access points for mediating connections to a plurality of non-PLMN network compatible mobile devices (NCMDs), wherein the plurality of NCMDs are not cellular devices, the SSG comprising:
a memory
a PLMN server that from the perspective of the PLMN network, operates as a base station of a cellular network;
an authentication database comprising authentication information of the plurality of NCMDs users and, per each NCMD, the authentication database stores an associated authentication token for PLMN identities of the user of the NCMD as a subscriber of the PLMN; and
an access server that is communicatively coupled via a secured communication with the plurality of NCMDs through the non-PLMN network, wherein each of the plurality of NCMDs request access to the PLMN network, and per each requesting NCMD, the access server identifies the requesting user of the NCMD, retrieves from the authentication database an associated authentication token for the identified requesting user, and transfers the authentication token with the received request to the PLMN server; and
wherein the PLMN server processes the received request and the associated authentication token and transfers to the PLMN network the processed request and the associated authentication token as a request received from a cellular device of that user,
wherein the associated authentication token identifies the requesting user as the subscriber of the PLMN.
2. The SSG of claim 1 , further comprising a circuit-switched interface for telephony and a packet interface for data and control.
3. The SSG of claim 2 , wherein the PLMN network is a GSM network having an A interface and a Gb interface and wherein the circuit-switched interface is operable to use the A interface and the packet interface is operable to use the Gb interface.
4. The SSG of claim 2 , wherein the PLMN network is a UMTS network having an IuCS interface and an IuPS interface and wherein the circuit switch interface is operable to use the IuCS interface and the packet interface is operable to use the IuPS interface.
5. The SSG of claim 1 , wherein the PLMN server, after determining that a connecting device has been authenticated by the access server, responds to a PLMN network authentication query by indicating that the authentication has been successful.
6. The SSG of claim 1 , wherein the associated authentication token simulates a SIM and the PLMN network is a GSM network.
7. The SSG of claim 1 , wherein the associated authentication token simulates an ESN gateway and the PLMN network is a CDMA network.
8. The SSG of claim 5 , wherein the secured communication of the access server with the plurality of NCMDs is based on a security layer selected from a group comprising SSL, Ipsec, TLS, SRP, and SSH, and wherein authentication of each one of the plurality of NCMDs is required to permit the PLMN server to provide the authentication response to the PLMN network.
9. The SSG of claim 8 , wherein the security layer is configurable to set a desired security level.
10. The SSG of claim 1 , further comprising a vocoder for receiving voice signals from the non-PLMN network for vocoding, and receiving vocoded voice signals from the PLMN network for decoding.
11. The SSG of claim 1 , further comprising a vocoder for receiving partly vocoded signals from the non-PLMN network for vocoding, and receiving vocoded voice signals from the PLMN network for part decoding.
12. The SSG of claim 1 , wherein the PLMN server operates as both a serving GPRS support node (SGSN) for packet data and as a base station for circuit switched data from the perspective of the PLMN network.
13. The SSG of claim 12 , wherein the access server authenticates the requesting NCMD connected to the non-PLMN network.
14. The SSG of claim 13 , wherein the access server further registers the requesting NCMD connecting to the non-PLMN network.
15. The interface of claim 12 , wherein the access server further updates the location of the requesting NCMD connecting to the non-PLMN network.
16. The SSG of claim 12 , wherein the PLMN server supports the requesting NCMD to generate service requests from the PLMN network.
17. The SSG of claim 1 , wherein the PLMN server further provides the PLMN network with connection control data formatted for the PLMN network to be able to integrate corresponding activity of the requesting NCMD into a consolidated bill.
18. The SSG of claim 12 , wherein the PLMN server further operates together with the access server, thereby to obtain from the non-PLMN network details of connecting parties and quantity of data exchanged.
19. The SSG of claim 18 , wherein the PLMN server further formats the obtained details into the PLMN compatible format.
20. The SSG of claim 1 , wherein, the base station is a base station controller.