Methods, systems, and computer readable media for using authentication validation time periods

1. A method comprising:

receiving a first message associated with a first machine type communications (MTC) device;

sending an authentication request associated with the first MTC device to a home subscriber server (HSS), wherein the authentication request requests a validated time period indicating an amount of time that authentication associated with the first MTC device is valid;

after the HSS authenticates the first MTC device, receiving, from the HSS, an authentication response, wherein the authentication response indicates the validated time period;

sending the first message;

receiving and sending a second message associated with the first MTC device during the validated time period without sending a corresponding second authentication request to the HSS; and

after the validated time period, sending a second authentication request associated with the first MTC device to the HSS.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising:

during the validated time period, receiving, from the HSS, a validation related message for adjusting or terminating the validated time period.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the validation related message includes a reporting information request (RIR) or an updated subscriber information request (SIR).

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first message is a device action request or a device trigger request.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the authentication request is a subscriber information request (SIR) and wherein the authentication response is a subscriber information answer (SIA).

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the HSS monitors one or more events associated with the first MTC device during the validated time period.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the first MTC device is a user equipment (UE) device, a machine-to-machine (M2M) device, or an internet of things (IoT) device and wherein the method occurs at a gateway device including a Diameter routing agent, a machine type communications interworking function (MTC-IWF) or a service capability exposure function (SCEF).

8. A system comprising:

a gateway device comprising at least one processor, the gateway device configured for:

receiving a first message associated with a first machine type communications (MTC) device;

sending an authentication request associated with the first MTC device to a home subscriber server (HSS), wherein the authentication request requests a validated time period indicating an amount of time that authentication associated with the first MTC device is valid;

after the HSS authenticates the first MTC device, receiving, from the HSS, an authentication response, wherein the authentication response indicates the validated time period;

sending the first message;

receiving and sending a second message associated with the first MTC device during the validated time period without sending a corresponding second authentication request to the HSS; and

after the validated time period, sending a second authentication request associated with the first MTC device to the HSS.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the gateway device is configured for: during the validated time period, receiving, from the HSS, a validation related message for adjusting or terminating the validated time period.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the validation related message includes a reporting information request (RIR) or an updated subscriber information request (SIR).

11. The system of claim 8 wherein the first message is a device action request or a device trigger request.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein the authentication request is a subscriber information request (SIR) and wherein the authentication response is a subscriber information answer (SIA).

13. The system of claim 8 wherein the HSS monitors one or more events associated with the first MTC device during the validated time period.

14. The system of claim 8 wherein the first MTC device is a user equipment (UE) device, a machine-to-machine (M2M) device, or an internet of things (IoT) device.

15. The system of claim 8 wherein the gateway device includes a Diameter routing agent, a machine type communications interworking function (MTC-IWF) or a service capability exposure function (SCEF).

16. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions embodied in the non-transitory computer readable medium that when executed by at least one processor of at least one computer cause the at least one computer to perform steps comprising:

receiving a first message associated with a first machine type communications (MTC) device;

sending an authentication request associated with the first MTC device to a home subscriber server (HSS), wherein the authentication request requests a validated time period indicating an amount of time that authentication associated with the first MTC device is valid;

after the HSS authenticates the first MTC device, receiving, from the HSS, an authentication response, wherein the authentication response indicates the validated time period;

sending the first message;

receiving and sending a second message associated with the first MTC device during the validated time period without sending a corresponding second authentication request to the HSS; and

after the validated time period, sending a second authentication request associated with the first MTC device to the HSS.