Method for automatic roaming between heterogeneous wireless local area networks carries out identification and transfer functions without user intervention

摘要

Based on the IMSI (international mobile subscriber identifier), using information stored in a SIM user data bank (34) the logical IP data channel of the WLAN is supplemented to carry corresponding GSM data for signal and data channels of a GSM network, in a user specific-manner. Using a SIM gateway module (32), the necessary SS7/MAP functions are generated to authenticate the IP node (20) based on the GSM data. The SIM RADIUS module (30), using the SIM user data bank (34) and SIM gateway module (32), authenticates the mobile IP node (20), based on the IMSI of the SIM card (201) of the mobile node (20), with an HLR (37) and/or VLR (37) of a GSM network. On effecting authentication, a location update during HLR and/or VLR is carried out. The mobile IP node (20) in an access server (23) customer data base, contains a corresponding entry, through which the WLAN is released for use, through the IP node (20) of the mobile unit. An independent claim is included for the corresponding system.