Method and apparatus for associating service provider network identifiers with access network identifiers

摘要

According to one aspect of the teachings herein, a token is logically bound to an external identifier and provided to a wireless device via triggering signaling sent to the wireless device through an access network. The wireless device is configured to send registration signaling through the access network to a service provider network, in response to the triggering signaling and to return the token in such signaling. With this advantageous approach, the service provider network recognizes the token returned from the wireless device and thereby learns the association between a service provider network identifier that is received in the registration signaling for identifying the wireless device with respect to a service provided by the service provider network, and an external identifier assigned by the access network for use by the service provider network in identifying the wireless device to the access network.

主权项

1. A method at a network node associated with a service provider network that is external to an access network, said method comprising:
receiving an external identifier that has been assigned by an access network for externally identifying a wireless device that also has a predefined service provider network identifier for using a service provided by the service provider network; triggering the wireless device to establish a data session with the access network for use in registering for the service with the service provider network, based on sending triggering signaling toward the access network that identifies the wireless device via the external identifier and includes a token for forwarding to the wireless device; receiving registration signaling sent from the wireless device via the access network, said registration signaling sent responsive to the triggering signaling sent from the service provider network; and responsive to recognizing that the registration signaling includes the forwarded token, binding the external identifier of the wireless device to the service provider network identifier of the wireless device, to thereby establish a mapping between the external identifier and the service provider network identifier, for subsequent use by the service provider network in triggering communications with the wireless device through the access network.