Method and apparatus for integrating billing and authentication functions in local area and wide area wireless data networks

Abstract

A converged network accessible by client terminals is provided. The converged network includes a wide area network, a local area network, and a gateway linked to the wide area and local area networks. The gateway integrates billing and authentication functions of the wide area and local area networks.

1 . A method, operative in a gateway, for managing usage of a local area network (LAN) by a subscriber of a wide area network (WAN), the wide area network being operated by an entity providing a telecommunication service that is normally accessible to the subscriber by having an existing WAN authentication mechanism authenticate the subscriber when the subscriber uses the WAN to obtain the telecommunication service, the WAN having an existing WAN billing mechanism, comprising: 
 (a) authenticating the subscriber based on authentication information received from the subscriber and corresponding information of record at the existing WAN authentication mechanism;    (b) receiving information on subscriber usage of the LAN, wherein the information on subscriber usage of the LAN is measured by one of: a client program, an existing LAN measurement infrastructure, and a monitor deployed in the LAN; and    (c) transmitting the information on subscriber usage of the LAN to the existing WAN billing mechanism for billing by the entity of LAN and WAN usage, wherein the information on subscriber usage of the LAN is transmitted using a data structure that the existing WAN billing mechanism expects to receive, wherein the data structure includes at least one optional field that includes data identifying the gateway as a source of the information on subscriber usage of the LAN;    wherein the gateway interacts with the existing WAN authentication mechanism and the existing WAN billing mechanism, without modifications to those mechanisms, to enable the subscriber to access, to use, and to be billed for the subscriber usage of the LAN using the subscriber's WAN identity.    
   
   
       2 . The method as described in  claim 1  wherein the at least one optional field is a Node ID field of a GPRS call data record.  
   
   
       3 . The method as described in  claim 1  wherein the entity providing the telecommunications service applies a billing policy to the subscriber usage of the LAN that differs from a billing policy applied to the subscriber's usage of the WAN.  
   
   
       4 . The method as described in  claim 1  wherein the entity is one of: a GSM operator, a CDMA operator, and an Internet Service Provider (ISP).  
   
   
       5 . The method as described in  claim 1  wherein the information of record is associated with the subscriber's WAN identity and the information received from the subscriber is one of: (i) IMSI information obtained from a SIM card associated with the terminal, (ii) a user login and password obtained during a service provisioning, (iii) IMSI information provided in software executable in the terminal, (iv) IMSI information provided in a network server, (v) a token or one time password exchanged by the terminal through SMS, (vi) a token or one time password exchanged by the terminal through USSD, and (vii) a token or one time password generated using an application associated with a SIM card.