US 2024/0205686 A1Published application

Mobile virtual network operator network access control

AssigneeCox Communications, Inc.

InventorTushar Sharma

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Abstract

An MVNO utilizes MNVO-controlled equipment to control generation of public-private key pairs, provisioning of user devices using a public-private key pair, and authenticating user devices requesting access to an MVNO network using the public-private key pair. An MNVO-controlled provisioning server can use a key of a public-private key pair to encrypt a SIM-based identity that is associated with a user device. When the user device requests access to an MVNO network, an MNVO-controlled authentication server requests an encrypted SIM-based identity from the user device and uses a key to decrypt the SIM-based identity as part of determining whether to grant MVNO network access to the user device. Encrypted SIM-based identities enable an MVNO to rely on MVNO-controlled equipment when authenticating user devices to access MVNO network without the additional message overhead accumulated when an MNO mobile core is required to determine whether to grant access to user devices.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of controlling access to a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) network comprising:

receiving, at a server machine of the MVNO network, a network access request from a user device to access the MVNO network;
determining, by the server machine of the MVNO network, if the user device is associated with the MVNO network;
in response to determining that the user device is associated with the MVNO network, requesting, by the server machine of the MVNO network, an encrypted subscriber identity module (SIM)-based identity from the user device, wherein the SIM-based identity is associated with at least one SIM of the user device;
performing, by the server machine of the MVNO network, a decryption operation on the encrypted SIM-based identity with a private key;
providing, by the server machine of the MVNO network, International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) data when the decryption operation is successful;
validating, by the server machine of the MVNO network, the IMSI data;
verifying, by the server machine of the MVNO network, that the user device is authorized to access the MVNO network based on the validated IMSI data and subscriber data;
and
enabling access, by the server machine of the MVNO network, to the MVNO network when the IMSI data is valid and the user device is authorized to access the MVNO network;
and
denying access, by the server machine of the MVNO network, to the MVNO network based on at least one of:
an unsuccessful decryption operation, invalid IMSI data, or when the user device is not authorized to access the MVNO network.

9 more elements

A system for controlling access to an MVNO network comprising:

an MVNO network key server configured to generate a public-private key pair that includes a public key and a private key for the MVNO network;
a MVNO subscriber database configured to store subscriber data;
and
an MVNO network authentication server configured to:
receive a network access request from a user device to access the MVNO network;
determine if the user device is associated with the MVNO network;
in response to a determination that the user device is associated with the MVNO network, request an encrypted SIM-based identity from the user device, wherein the SIM-based identity is associated with at least one SIM of the user device;
perform a decryption operation on the encrypted SIM-based identity with the private key;
provide IMSI data when the decryption operation is successful;
validate the IMSI data;
verify that the user device is authorized to access the MVNO network based on the validated IMSI data and the subscriber data;
and
enable access to the MVNO network based on the validated IMSI data and when the user device is authorized to access the MVNO network;
and
deny access to the MVNO network based on at least one of:
an unsuccessful decryption operation, invalid IMSI data, or when the user device is not authorized to access the MVNO network.

13 more elements

A server machine for controlling access to an MVNO network comprising:

at least one processor;
and
memory that stores instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor are configured to:
receive a network access request from a user device to access the MVNO network;
determine if the user device is associated with the MVNO network;
in response to a determination that the user device is associated with the MVNO network, request an encrypted SIM-based identity from the user device, wherein the SIM-based identity is associated with at least one SIM of the user device;
perform a decryption operation on the encrypted SIM-based identity with the private key;
provide IMSI data when the decryption operation is successful;
validate the IMSI data;
verify that the user device is authorized to access the MVNO network based on the validated IMSI data and the subscriber data;
and
enable access to the MVNO network based on the validated IMSI data and when the user device is authorized to access the MVNO network;
and
deny access to the MVNO network based on at least one of:
an unsuccessful decryption operation, invalid IMSI data, or when the user device is not authorized to access the MVNO network.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/067,454Filed 16 Dec 2022
Published: 20 Jun 2024
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

H04W 12/72
Identity-dependent: subscriber identity
H04L 9/14
Cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communications; Network security protocols: using a plurality of keys…
H04W 12/037
Protecting confidentiality, e.g. by encryption: of the control plane, e.g. signalling traffic
H04W 12/06
Security arrangements; Authentication; Protecting privacy or anonymity: authentication

Family

US 12,477,343 B2Related patent
US 2024/0205686 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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