Service mobility via a femtocell infrastructure

Abstract

Aspects of a method and system for service mobility via a femtocell infrastructure are provided. In this regard, a mobile cellular enabled communication device may detect a femtocell operable to deliver content for one or more services to the mobile cellular enabled communication device, where the one or more services may be provided via a set-top-box communicatively coupled to the femtocell. The mobile cellular enabled communication device may communicate a user profile to the femtocell, wherein information in the profile may be utilized by the set-top-box to authenticate and/or authorize access to the services by the mobile cellular enabled communication device and thus the mobile cellular enabled communication device may receive the content from the set-top-box based on the authentication and/or authorization. The content may comprise voice, video, data, text and/or still images. The mobile cellular enabled communication device may detect the femtocell by receiving one or broadcast messages from the femtocell.

1 . A method for communication, the method comprising:
 detecting by a mobile cellular enabled communication device, a femtocell operable to deliver content for one or more services to said mobile cellular enabled communication device, wherein said one or more services is provided via a set-top-box communicatively coupled to said femtocell;   communicating a profile associated with said mobile cellular enabled communication device from said mobile cellular enabled communication device to said set-top-box via said detected femtocell, wherein information in said associated profile is utilized by said set-top-box to authenticate and/or authorize access to said one or more services by said mobile cellular enabled communication device; and   receiving by said mobile cellular enabled communication device, said content associated with one or more services from said set-top-box via said femtocell based on said authentication and/or said authorization.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said content comprises voice, video, data, text and/or still images. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , comprising receiving one or more broadcast messages from said femtocell. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , comprising detecting said femtocell operable to deliver said content for said one or more services to said mobile cellular enabled communication device based on said received broadcast messages. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , comprising communicating said profile associated with said mobile cellular enabled communication device from said mobile cellular enabled communication device to said set-top-box via said detected femtocell via an in-band communication channel. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , comprising communicating said profile associated with said mobile cellular enabled communication device from said mobile cellular enabled communication device to said set-top-box via said detected femtocell via an out-of-band communication channel. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said content for one or more services that is received from said set-top-box via said femtocell based on said authentication and/or said authorization is encrypted. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , comprising decrypting said encrypted content that is received from said set-top box. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , comprising consuming said decrypted content, which is received from aid set-top box via said femtocell, by said mobile cellular enabled communication device. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said profile comprises one or more of: an identity of said mobile cellular enabled communication device, capabilities of said mobile cellular enabled communication device, preferred content, desirable content, active subscriptions, parental settings, and security information. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said set-top-box formats said received content for said one or more services based on said information in said profile associated with said cellular enabled communication device. 
     
     
         12 . A system for networking, the system comprising:
 one or more circuits for use in a mobile cellular enabled communication device, said one or more circuits operable to:
 detect a femtocell operable to deliver content for one or more services to said mobile cellular enabled communication device, wherein said one or more services is provided via a set-top-box communicatively coupled to said femtocell; 
 communicate a profile associated with said mobile cellular enabled communication device from said mobile cellular enabled communication device to said set-top-box via said detected femtocell, wherein information in said associated profile is utilized by said set-top-box to authenticate and/or authorize access to said one or more services by said mobile cellular enabled communication device; and 
 receive said content associated with one or more services from said set-top-box via said femtocell based on said authentication and/or said authorization. 
   
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein said content comprises voice, video, data, text and/or still images. 
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein said one or more circuits receive one or more broadcast messages from said femtocell. 
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 14 , wherein said one or more circuits detect said femtocell operable to deliver said content for said one or more services to said mobile cellular enabled communication device based on said received broadcast messages. 
     
     
         16 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein said one or more circuits communicate said profile associated with said mobile cellular enabled communication device from said mobile cellular enabled communication device to said set-top-box via said detected femtocell via an in-band communication channel. 
     
     
         17 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein said one or more circuits communicate said profile associated with said mobile cellular enabled communication device from said mobile cellular enabled communication device to said set-top-box via said detected femtocell via an out-of-band communication channel. 
     
     
         18 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein said content for one or more services that is received from said set-top-box via said femtocell based on said authentication and/or said authorization is encrypted. 
     
     
         19 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein said one or more circuits decrypt said encrypted content that is received from said set-top box. 
     
     
         20 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein said one or more circuits consume said decrypted content, which is received from aid set-top box via said femtocell, by said mobile cellular enabled communication device. 
     
     
         21 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein said profile comprises one or more of: an identity of said mobile cellular enabled communication device, capabilities of said mobile cellular enabled communication device, preferred content, desirable content, active subscriptions, parental settings, and security information. 
     
     
         22 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein said set-top-box formats said received content for said one or more services based on said information in said profile associated with said cellular enabled communication device.