In-band provisioning for a closed subscriber group
In-band provisioning enables subscribers to manually provision themselves via an access point at which the subscribers would not otherwise be allowed access. For example, a subscriber may be temporarily accepted by a restricted access point (e.g., an access point that belongs to a closed subscriber group). The subscriber is then given limited access to enable the subscriber to be provisioned at the access point. For example, the subscriber may be provisioned for full access at the access point if the subscriber presents a valid authorization credential to a provisioning entity.
1. A method of communication, comprising:
sending an indication that an access point of a closed subscriber group supports in-band provisioning;
receiving a first message that indicates that an access terminal is requesting a connection to the access point of the closed subscriber group, wherein the first message comprises a tracking area update request message;
determining that the access terminal is not a member of the closed subscriber group;
determining, as a result of the determination that the access terminal is not a member of the closed subscriber group, whether the access terminal needs to be provisioned to access the closed subscriber group; and
sending a second message to the access terminal, wherein the second message comprises a tracking area update accept message or a tracking area update reject message, wherein the second message indicates that the access terminal needs to be provisioned to access the closed subscriber group, wherein a default bearer is set up for provisioning the access terminal in conjunction with the sending of the second message, and wherein the default bearer is terminated if the access terminal is not provisioned within a defined period of time.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second message comprises a uniform resource locator to be used for provisioning the access terminal.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the first message comprises an attach request; and
the second message comprises an attach accept.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second message is sent to a network node and comprises a request to provision the access terminal to access the closed subscriber group.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the network node comprises a packet gateway or a provisioning entity.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determination of whether the access terminal needs to be provisioned is based on an indication received via the first message.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the received indication comprises a packet data network type, a packet data network name, or an access point name.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determination of whether the access terminal needs to be provisioned is based on an access terminal profile or a network profile.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determination of whether the access terminal needs to be provisioned is based on whether the closed subscriber group allows in-band provisioning.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determination of whether the access terminal needs to be provisioned is based on whether the access point allows in-band provisioning.
11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving an indication that the access terminal has been provisioned to access the closed subscriber group; and
sending a third message to the access terminal as a result of the receipt of the indication, wherein the third message indicates that the access terminal has been provisioned to access the closed subscriber group.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the provisioning of the access terminal involves providing a connection to a packet data network or providing a higher level of quality of service for the access terminal on an existing packet data network connection.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the access point comprises a home eNodeB.
14. An apparatus for communication, comprising:
a communication controller configured to send an indication that an access point of a closed subscriber group supports in-band provisioning and to receive a first message that indicates that an access terminal is requesting a connection to the access point of the closed subscriber group, wherein the first message comprises a tracking area update request message; and
a provisioning controller configured to determine that the access terminal is not a member of the closed subscriber group, and further configured to determine, as a result of the determination that the access terminal is not a member of the closed subscriber group, whether the access terminal needs to be provisioned to access the closed subscriber group,
wherein the communication controller is configured to send a second message to the access terminal, wherein the second message comprises a tracking area update accept message or a tracking area update reject message, wherein the second message indicates that the access terminal needs to be provisioned to access the closed subscriber group, wherein a default bearer is set up for provisioning the access terminal in conjunction with the sending of the second message, and wherein the default bearer is terminated if the access terminal is not provisioned within a defined period of time.
15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the second message comprises a uniform resource locator to be used for provisioning the access terminal.
16. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the second message is sent to a network node and comprises a request to provision the access terminal to access the closed subscriber group.
17. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein:
the determination of whether the access terminal needs to be provisioned is based on an indication received via the first message; and
the received indication comprises a packet data network type, a packet data network name, or an access point name.
18. An apparatus for communication, comprising:
means for sending an indication that an access point of a closed subscriber group supports in-band provisioning;
means for receiving a first message that indicates that an access terminal is requesting a connection to the access point of the closed subscriber group, wherein the first message comprises a tracking area update request message;
means for determining that the access terminal is not a member of the closed subscriber group;
means for determining, as a result of the determination that the access terminal is not a member of the closed subscriber group, whether the access terminal needs to be provisioned to access the closed subscriber group; and
means for sending a second message to the access terminal, wherein the second message comprises a tracking area update accept message or a tracking area update reject message, wherein the second message indicates that the access terminal needs to be provisioned to access the closed subscriber group, wherein a default bearer is set up for provisioning the access terminal in conjunction with the sending of the second message, and wherein the default bearer is terminated if the access terminal is not provisioned within a defined period of time.
19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the second message comprises a uniform resource locator to be used for provisioning the access terminal.
20. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the second message is sent to a network node and comprises a request to provision the access terminal to access the closed subscriber group.
21. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein:
the determination of whether the access terminal needs to be provisioned is based on an indication received via the first message; and
the received indication comprises a packet data network type, a packet data network name, or an access point name.
22. A computer-program product, comprising:
a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code for causing a computer to:
send an indication that an access point of a closed subscriber group supports in-band provisioning;
receive a first message that indicates that an access terminal is requesting a connection to the access point of the closed subscriber group, wherein the first message comprises a tracking area update request message;
determine that the access terminal is not a member of the closed subscriber group;
determine, as a result of the determination that the access terminal is not a member of the closed subscriber group, whether the access terminal needs to be provisioned to access the closed subscriber group; and
send a second message to the access terminal, wherein the second message comprises a tracking area update accept message or a tracking area update reject message, wherein the second message indicates that the access terminal needs to be provisioned to access the closed subscriber group, wherein a default bearer is set up for provisioning the access terminal in conjunction with the sending of the second message, and wherein the default bearer is terminated if the access terminal is not provisioned within a defined period of time.
23. The computer-program product of claim 22 , wherein the second message comprises a uniform resource locator to be used for provisioning the access terminal.
24. The computer-program product of claim 22 , wherein the second message is sent to a network node and comprises a request to provision the access terminal to access the closed subscriber group.
25. The computer-program product of claim 22 , wherein:
the determination of whether the access terminal needs to be provisioned is based on an indication received via the first message; and
the received indication comprises a packet data network type, a packet data network name, or an access point name.