Methods and apparatus for use in a generic bootstrapping architecture

摘要

According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of obtaining authentication information for use in a Generic Bootstrapping Architecture, GBA, employed in a network with one or more GBA-capable subscriber registers and one or more GBA-incapable subscriber registers. The method involves a selection function for determining whether the authentication information of a subscriber is stored at a GBA-capable subscriber register or at a GBA-incapable subscriber register, and an inter working function for translating between the Diameter messages of the Zh interface and the MAP messages of the Zh′ interface.

主权项

1. A method of obtaining authentication information for use in a Generic Bootstrapping Architecture, GBA, employed in a network with one or more GBA-capable subscriber registers and one or more GBA-incapable subscriber registers, the method comprising:
at a Bootstrapping Server Function, upon receipt of a bootstrapping request from a subscriber terminal, sending an authentication request for authentication information including an identity of a subscriber to a selection function; at the selection function, determining if the authentication information of the subscriber is stored at one of the one or more GBA-capable subscriber registers or at one of the one or more GBA-incapable subscriber registers; if it is determined that the authentication information of the subscriber is stored at one of the one or more GBA-incapable subscriber registers, communicating the authentication request to an inter working function; and at the inter working function, sending a Mobile Application Part, MAP, protocol message corresponding to the authentication request towards the GBA-incapable subscriber register, receiving a MAP response from the GBA-incapable subscriber register, and sending an authentication response corresponding to the received MAP response to the Bootstrapping Server Function; wherein the selection function is provided by either of a Subscriber Locator Function and one of the one or more GBA-capable subscriber registers, and the inter working function is provided by either of the Subscriber Locator Function and one of the one or more GBA-capable subscriber registers.