Apparatus and method for sponsored connectivity to wireless networks using application-specific network access credentials

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9717004-B2
Application number	US-201514829432-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 18, 2015
Priority date	Mar 17, 2015
Publication date	Jul 25, 2017
Grant date	Jul 25, 2017

Abstract

At least one feature pertains to a method operational at a user device. The method includes receiving and storing a shared key from an application service provider, and determining that a wireless communication network provides application-specific access to an application service provided by the application service provider. The method further includes transmitting a registration request that includes a device identifier and an application identifier associated with the application service to the wireless communication network. The registration request is transmitted to the application service provider using a data connection through a packet data network. The method further includes receiving authentication information derived at the application service provider that is based on the shared key, and performing authentication and key agreement with the network based on the authentication information and the stored shared key. The user device may then communicate with the application service after authentication and key agreement is successfully performed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method operational at a user device, the method comprising:
receiving and storing, at a memory circuit, a shared key from an application service provider;
determining, at a processing circuit, that a wireless wide area communication network provides application-specific access to an application service provided by the application service provider;
transmitting, via a wireless communication interface, a registration request, which includes a device identifier and an application identifier associated with the application service, to the application service provider using a data connection through a packet data network of the wireless wide area communication network that bypasses authentication by at least one of a home subscriber service (HSS) and/or authentication authorization accounting (AAA) of the wireless wide area communication network;
receiving, from the wireless wide area communication network, authentication information derived at the application service provider that is based in part on the shared key, the authentication information received via the wireless communication interface;
performing, at the processing circuit, authentication and key agreement with the wireless wide area communication network based on the authentication information and the stored shared key; and
communicating, via the wireless communication interface, with the application service after authentication and key agreement is successfully performed.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the shared key is uniquely associated with the user device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the shared key is received from the application service provider over a secure out of band connection that is independent to communication channels established with the wireless wide area communication network.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
enabling communication between the user device and a set of application services allowed by the application service provider after authentication and key agreement is successfully performed.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving and storing the device identifier from the application service provider before transmitting the registration request.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving the application identifier from the application service provider before transmitting the registration request to the wireless wide area communication network.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving the application identifier from the wireless wide area communication network via an application service announcement before transmitting the registration request to the wireless wide area communication network.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the application identifier is at least one of a fully qualified domain name, a uniform resource locator, and/or a uniform resource identifier.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein application-specific access is granted to the user device independent to any subscriber identity module associated with the user device.

10. A user device comprising:
a wireless communication interface adapted to wirelessly communicate with a wireless wide area communication network;
a memory circuit; and
a processing circuit communicatively coupled to the memory circuit and the wireless communication interface, the processing circuit adapted to:
receive and store a shared key from an application service provider;
determine that a wireless wide area communication network provides application-specific access to an application service provided by the application service provider;
transmit a registration request, which includes a device identifier and an application identifier associated with the application service, to the application service provider using a data connection through a packet data network of the wireless wide area communication network that bypasses authentication by at least one of a home subscriber service (HSS) and/or authentication authorization accounting (AAA) of the wireless wide area communication network;
receive, from the wireless wide area communication network, authentication information derived at the application service provider that is based in part on the shared key;
perform authentication and key agreement with the wireless wide area communication network based on the authentication information and the stored shared key; and
communicate with the application service after authentication and key agreement is successfully performed.

11. The user device of claim 10 , wherein the shared key is uniquely associated with the user device.

12. The user device of claim 10 , wherein the shared key is received from the application service provider over a secure out of band connection that is independent to communication channels established with the wireless wide area communication network.

13. The user device of claim 10 , wherein the processing circuit is further adapted to:
enable communication between the user device and a set of application services allowed by the application service provider after authentication and key agreement is successfully performed.

14. The user device of claim 10 , wherein the processing circuit is further adapted to:
receive the device identifier from the application service provider before transmitting the registration request.

15. The user device of claim 10 , wherein the processing circuit is further adapted to:
receive the application identifier from the application service provider before transmitting the registration request to the wireless wide area communication network.

16. The user device of claim 10 , wherein the processing circuit is further adapted to:
receive the application identifier from the wireless wide area communication network via an application service announcement before transmitting the registration request to the wireless wide area communication network.

17. The user device of claim 10 , wherein the application identifier is at least one of a fully qualified domain name, a uniform resource locator, and/or a uniform resource identifier.

18. The user device of claim 10 , wherein application-specific access is granted to the user device independent to any subscriber identity module associated with the user device.

19. A user device comprising:
means for receiving and storing a shared key from an application service provider;
means for determining that a wireless wide area communication network provides application-specific access to an application service provided by the application service provider;
means for transmitting a registration request, which includes a device identifier and an application identifier associated with the application service, to the application service provider using a data connection through a packet data network of the wireless wide area communication network that bypasses authentication by at least one of a home subscriber service (HSS) and/or authentication authorization accounting (AAA) of the wireless wide area communication network;
means for receiving, from the wireless wide area communication network, authentication information derived at the application service provider that is based in part on the shared key;
means for performing authentication and key agreement with the wireless wide area communication network based on the authentication information and the stored shared key; and
means for communicating with the application service after authentication and key agreement is successfully performed.

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Lee Soo Bum
• Palanigounder Anand
• Horn Gavin Bernard

Classifications

• H04W76/11

  Allocation or use of connection identifiers · CPC title

• H04L63/126 Primary

  the source of the received data · CPC title

• H04W60/00

  Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration · CPC title

• H04W12/06 Primary

  Authentication · CPC title

• H04L63/0823 Primary

  using certificates (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263) · CPC title