Patent Application
20090198996
The present invention relates to identity associations in broadband data networks, and more specifically to systems for using identity associations to create secure pathways between end user devices and trusted networks and content providers.
A typical system 100 for proving broadband network access to a home network 109 is shown with regard to
Though there is a single IP address associated with the portal 103, there is often multiple devices connecting to broadband network 102 through portal 103. In such a home network, private addressing schemes are used with network address translation (NAT) provided by the portal or a router connected to the portal. In such a private addressing scheme the portal or router assigns a private address to each device connected to the network and then provides the translation between the private address used on the private side of the portal and the public address used to communicate with broadband network 102. The private addresses are usually dynamically assigned by the portal or router as devices are added and removed from the home network.
Unlike cellular networks, broadband network providers have had difficulty monetizing the use of their network. Customers generally pay a flat fee for unlimited access to the network, and providers have found it difficult to charge premiums for additional services or quality guarantees. The current regulatory system prevents network providers from charging content providers for higher levels of service, absent a specific relationship between the content provider and the customer, and customers have been unwilling to pay premiums. Additionally, topology of home networks, such as the one shown in
Cellular network providers have had success monetizing their networks by building several features into their networks. Cellular devices use a SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card, or other similar mechanism for identity association, in each device that provides a secure known identity for each end user device. These SIM cards allow for the cellular network to provide a trusted, or secure association from the device to the network core, also referred to as an explicit path. The trusted connection between end user devices and the core allows for cellular networks to provide direct association between the device and billing systems, ensuring that the premium services used by the device are verified and billed to the correct end user device. This cellular phone example is in contrast to the home network and associated end user devices that have private addresses managed by portal 103. Such private networks and associated devices have no mechanism for establishing secure identity associations. As the portal 103 in the home network is not secured by the network carrier, the portal and the end user devices are outside the secure or trusted border of broadband network 102. The private network and associated devices need a secure connection to the device that allows for the transparent distribution and authentication of security keys.
What is needed is a system that is able to provide a secure, trusted connection between end user devices in a home network and the network carriers core network to allow for billable identity and secure communication with the end user devices.
In certain embodiments, the present invention is directed to a system and method which provides an identity association between an end user device and a trusted network over a broadband network. An embodiment of a system for providing identity associations includes a device connected to a private network and having access to a public network, the device used to control identity associations for end user devices in the private network. The system also includes multiple digital keys associated with the device, each digital key able to control one or more of identity associations, wherein each identity association allows for one or more derived services, and an authentication mechanism in the trusted to network, the authentication mechanism allowing the derived services between the private network and the trusted network using the device and one or more of the identity associations.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a system for providing an identity association between a subscriber in a private network and a provider over a public network is described that includes a subscriber security gateway in the private network, the subscriber security gateway providing policy enforcement and signaling between the private network and the provider over the public network. The system also includes at least one digital key associated with the provider and readable by the subscriber security gateway and operable to provide a identity association with the provider, and a network device in the private network, the network device operable to establish a trusted media channel between the provider and the network device using the public network as a result of the signaling and policy enforcement at the subscriber security gateway using the digital keys.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a method of establishing an identity association is described which includes providing a control channel between a policy device in a private network and a security gateway in trusted network, using a digital key at the device to authenticate an end user device, and sending content to an end user device separate from the policy device based on the authentication of the end user using the digital key and the device.
The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that each of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration and description only and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the present invention.
For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:
In the current state of broadband networks, including the Internet, the network is split into distinct domains which, at the boundaries where they intersect, do include the necessary security protocols to allow simple secure transactions between the domains. For example, a user in a home or small business network may desire to pay for the services or content provided by a third party service provider. In order to get that content, the content must travel from the provider's network over an access network, and possibly a public internet, to a carrier network, and to the user's network and device, again possibly using an access network and a public internet. For a single transaction, the user may be able to establish an account with a user name and password and may provide credit card information to access the content. Unfortunately, since only a user name and password is used these types of transactions are not as secure as could be achieved by using a physical security token by the user. Further these transactions are done on a single transaction basis, where the user must log into their account for every transaction.
What is missing from current broadband networking is a digital supply chain which links the user, carrier and provider. The digital supply chain would use an identity association to provide a secure explicit path through the individual networks (including the provider network, the carrier network, the public network and the user's network) and an authorized relationship and billing agreement between the user and the provider and/or carrier. An identity association, as used herein, refers to a unique token on the user's side of the network and an entry in a provider database corresponding to the token. In the concepts described herein, the token is preferably a physical token such as a smart card or other identifying device issued by a provider that can be used by a user to create an association between the user and the provider. The identity association then allows for derived services between the user and the provider. Such derived services can include allowing the user and provider to establish a security association between the provider's network and the user's device or network. A security association as is understood in the art is a connection between end points that uses security information shared between the end points to support secured communication. The identity association can also be used to allow other derived services, such as establish billing relationships and to enable other services between the user and provider or providing device access or content access in a trusted domain. Using the identity association the digital supply chain can be established allowing carriers and providers to provide such secure content and services to an end user to establish billing arrangements with the user that do not require separate authentication and credit card entry for each transaction.
Referring now to
Device 202 provides the connection between broadband network 204 and home network 201. As described, device 202 provides the NAT functionality to interface between the private network addressing scheme of home network 201 and the public addressing scheme of broadband network 204. Device 202 can also include router and wireless and cellular access point functionality or may be connected to generic base station to provide the access point functionality. According to the concepts described herein, device 202 is also responsible for providing secure access to the home network and authenticating the end user devices in home network 201 as trusted devices.
To accomplish this, device 202 uses digital keys 203 which are incorporated into or are interfaceable with device 202. Digital keys 203 include digital security credentials and may or may not be used in conjunction with user ids and passwords for authentication. The digital keys are incorporated into a digital key interface, which can be a physically connected device which is inserted into a port on device 202, or can be connectionless such as embodiments where the digital key interface is part of an RFID or Smart Card device which is then placed in the proximity of a reader such as device 202. Digital keys 203, by establishing an identity association, may also be used in certain embodiments to implement a security association according to the appropriate standards, such as GAA (Generic Authentication Architecture) 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project), or other similar standard. Device 202 and digital keys 203 allow for the encryption of communications to and from device 202 using IPSec or any other appropriate encryption scheme.
Digital keys 203 are, therefore, able to provide an identity association which then allows a secure explicit path, shown by security association (SA) 209, to be created. The digital keys 203 are therefore able to provide the functionality provided by the SIM card in the cellular network context. The digital keys 203 with the device 202 are able to provide a billable identity for the home, or business, or individual user in the home or business that could be used by a device in private network 201 for both communications and content delivery
As described, device 202 provides the interface between private network 201 and broadband network 204. Broadband network 204 includes authentication server 205 which is operable to manage the identity association through broadband network 204. Authentication server 204 can be a home subscriber server which maintains a home location registration that keeps trace of services for each subscriber similarly to the subscriber registry in a cellular network. Broadband network 204 is connected to trusted or provider network 207 through security gateway 206. Security gateway 206 provides secure termination and aggregation for user endpoints that are accessing the trusted core network. Security Gateway provides IPSec Encryption, dynamic session security and real-time bandwidth management to provide security for multiple trusted connections with end user devices such as device 202. Security gateway 206 can be security gateway or session controller as is commonly available. Security gateway 206 provides the termination of security association 209 in the core of trusted network 207. While authentication server 205 provides subscriber services for the broadband network, authentication server 208 provides similar functionality for the provider network 207. Authentication server 208 includes a registry database that keeps track of subscriber identities and allowed services and service and subscriber parameters. The functionality provided by security gateway 206 and/or the authentication server 208 create an authentication mechanism that can be used in conjunction with device 202 and digital keys 203 to establish an identity association. While the authentication mechanism of
By providing a secure path 209 between private network 201 and trusted network 207, system 200 is able to provide functionality not realizable with the network shown in
Different types of functionality are available based on the types of trusted networks connected using the identity association. For example, in embodiments of the system where the trusted network is a content provider, the content provider may be willing to enter into a relationship with a customer to provide content in exchange for the customer receiving advertising from the content provider. In such a case the content provider, based on its relationship with the customer, can enter into an agreement with the provider of the broadband network to provide enhanced services from the content provider to the customer. Based on the billable identity of the customer, the network provider would be able to charge the content provider for the enhanced services, which the content provider would pay for through advertising revenue based on advertising provided to the customer.
In lieu of providing free content to the customer, the content provider may provide pay-per-view or pay-per-use content. In such a case, the customer's billable identity would allow the broadband network provider to bill the customer for the ordered content. The network provider could then keep a percentage of the pay-per-use fees and remit the remaining fee to the content provider. The network provider would be able to leverage its billing relationship with the customer, freeing the content provider from having to bill each end customer.
In another embodiment of the system, the identity association would be able to extend the reach of the trusted network to the end user devices. For example, if the trusted network was a wireless provider, the existence of the identity association would allow the mobile customers to access content and devices in the private network from their mobile devices over a secure connection, or could allow data from the private network to be pushed to the mobile device upon the occurrence of a triggering event in the private network. An example of pulling data from private network will be described with reference to
While particular examples have been described to illustrate the types of applications available using a system incorporating the concepts described herein, the examples are not limiting, and any type of functionality or application could be implemented that relies on the identity association, or resulting security association or billable identity or any of the other features described according to the concepts set forth herein.
Referring now to
Referring now to
Data subsystem, includes both fixed, such as DSL or cable, and wireless, such as WiFi, connections between device 401 and a fixed core network 407 over secure connection 408. Port 404 allows for a digital key interface device to be connected to device 401 to provide the security associated between device 401 and fixed core network 407. For cellular, wireless, or wireline access remote from device 401 or not included directly within device 401, a generic base station 409 may be provided to provide the access functionality without compromising the security aspects of device 401.
Referring now to
Specifically, the policy enforcement and signaling functionality is performed by home security gateway 507, 509. Home security gateway includes the ability to read digital keys 508, 510 used to provide the trusted relationship between the subscriber and the carrier, merchant, or provider of content or services. Using the digital keys, home/subscriber security gateway, 507, 509 is able to create the security associations 511, 512, 513 and 514 which allow for trusted communication between the subscriber and the carrier 503 or provider 504. Unlike system 200 from
The digital keys are preferably physical devices including contactless devices (e.g. smart cards, or devices using RFID type technologies) or contacted devices (e.g. devices inserted into a port on the device). Using a physical device increases the security of a connection by requiring the physical device to be present to establish the connection and is much harder to duplicate or fake than a purely digital security certificate. A home security gateway may have any number of digital keys as required by the subscriber and devices to be used.
Another application of system 200 or system 500, particularly system 500 using home security gateway 507, 509, would be to create secure payment relationships usable by the subscriber. As described, the digital keys can be used to create a billable identity with the subscriber. As such, the home security gateway, as a single point of reference with the digital keys can be turned into a digital wallet to provide secure payment and billing relationships between the subscriber and a carrier, provider or vendor on the network. As the carrier and the subscriber have a trusted relationship with the carrier having a billable identity with the subscriber through the use of the digital keys, the carrier can also act as an intermediary in payment or billing relationships between the subscriber and providers, merchants or vendors. The carrier could use its billing relationship with the subscriber to bill for services, content or items purchased by the subscriber, with the vendors/providers getting a single billing point for many customers. In this manner, vendors/providers can avoid having to establish billing relationships with many individual subscribers. Such billing relationships are illustrated in system 500 by the accounting server 517 in carrier network 504 and billing system 518 in network 519.
Referring now to
Referring now to
An embodiment of a process for creating a identity association between the service provider in service provider network 712, and a user in private network 704 using the concepts described herein begins with the detection of digital key 701. Digital key 701 is provided to the end user by the carrier who provides the end user with access to the carrier access network. In this case the carrier access network 711 is the carrier's network and provides the end user with access to the Internet and other networks connected to the carrier's private network. Once digital key 701 has been detected by device 702, device 702 proceeds to make the identity association and then set up a security association, or administrative tunnel, with the carrier using the device 702 and security gateway 705. Authentication server 706 in the carrier's network authenticates the user's identity and privileges using the information on digital key 701, and then records the tunnel setup on account server 715.
Once the identity association and corresponding security association between the carrier and the end user has been established, the end user can then use that security association to establish other identity associations with service providers. Digital key 707 is a digital key issued by the service provider associated with service provider network 712. As described, service provider may be a provider of services, content, goods, etc. Device 702 detects service provider digital key 707, and then sends information associated with that key to the carrier's network to establish the identity association with the service provider using authentication server 706. A security association, or service tunnel, is then set up using security gateway 708 between the device 702 and the service provider network 712. That service tunnel is also recorded on account server 715. Once the service tunnel has been established, a billing record can be activated on billing server 710 in billing network 713 to allow billing of the transaction between the end user and the service provider. The billing system can be part of the carrier or can be part of a third party billing system.
While the process shown in
Referring now to
While all signaling packets are sent to device 801, device 801 can instruct portal 802 to direct media packets to another device on private network 803, such as media station 804 or femtocell 805. The separation of signaling or administrative packets from the media or content packets allow device 801 to operate as the policy enforcement point for private network 803. It also allows device 801 to serve as a central point for digital keys which can then be used for services on other equipment connected to private network 803. Thus the policy enforcement, identity and billing functionality can be focused at a single device as opposed to requiring each piece of equipment in the network to have such capability.
In addition,
Although the present invention and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Moreover, the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the disclosure of the present invention, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according to the present invention. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps.
