AUTHENTICATION AND HANDOVER METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR RADIO PERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS

摘要

During handover of a cellular terminal (120) from a wide area cell station (102) to a base station (110), authentication messages (126a, 124a, 124b, 126b) are relayed between the wide area cell station (102) and the base station (110) via the cellular terminal (120). Communications between the cellular terminal (120) and the wire telephone network (108) via the base station (110) are prevented until after authentication takes place. Accordingly, the cellular terminal (120) relays authentication messages (126a, 124a, 124b, 126b) between the wide area cell station (102) and the base station (110). Use of the wire telephone network (108) for authentication between the cellular terminal (120) and the base station (110) is avoided. Secure handover is thereby provided without incurring excess overhead to the system and without adding unnecessary wire network charges to the cellular terminal user.