Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
127 words
A method of distributing authentication information in a mobile telecommunication system having a plurality of switching nodes, comprising the steps of: storing authentication information for a mobile telephone permanently by a resident switching node to which the mobile telephone is permanently assigned; transmitting a copy of the authentication information to a first nonresident switching node upon the mobile telephone registering on the first nonresident switching node; storing the copy of the authentication information on the first nonresident switching node; continuing to store the authentication information on the first nonresident switching node switching after the mobile telephone re-registers on the resident switching node; and removing the copy of the authentication information from the first nonresident switching node after the mobile telephone registers on a second non-resident switching node.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of transmitting comprises the step of requesting the copy of the authentication information from the resident switching node by the first non-resident switching node.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the step of removing comprises the step of communicating a message by the resident switching node to the first nonresident switching node to request the removal of the copy of the authentication information.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
116 words
The method of claim 1 further comprises the step of arranging the first non-resident switching node in an authentication hierarchical structure with a set of the plurality of switching nodes; and storing the copy of the authentication information on another one of the set of switching nodes of the authentication hierarchical structure; continuing to store the authentication information on the other one of the set of switching nodes after the mobile telephone re-registers on the resident switching node; and removing the copy of the authentication information from the other one of the set of switching nodes after the mobile telephone registers on the second nonresident switching node that is not part of the authentication hierarchical structure.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
89 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the step of removing the copy of the authentication information on the other one of the set of switching nodes comprises the step of communicating a message by the resident switching node to the first non-resident switching node to request the removal of the copy of the authentication information; and communicating a second message to the other one of the set of switching nodes to request that the other one of the set of switching nodes remove the copy of the authentication information.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
134 words
An apparatus for distributing authentication information in a mobile telecommunication system comprising a plurality of switching nodes, comprising: means for storing authentication information for a mobile telephone permanently by a resident switching node to which the mobile telephone is permanently assigned; means for transmitting a copy of the authentication information to a first non-resident switching node upon the mobile telephone registering on the first nonresident switching node; means for storing the copy of the authentication information on the first non-resident switching node; means for continuing to store the authentication information on the first non-resident switching node switching after the mobile telephone re-registers on the resident switching node; and means for removing the copy of the authentication information from the first non-resident switching node after the mobile telephone registers on a second non-resident switching node.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the means for transmitting comprises means for requesting the copy of the authentication information from the resident switching node by the first non-resident switching node.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the means for removing comprises the step of communicating a message by the resident switching node to the first non-resident switching node to request the removal of the copy of the authentication information.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
121 words
The apparatus of claim 6 further comprises means for arranging the first non-resident switching node in an authentication hierarchical structure with a set of the plurality of switching nodes; and means for storing the copy of the authentication information on another one of the set of switching nodes of the authentication hierarchical structure; means for continuing to store the authentication information on the other one of the set of switching nodes after the mobile telephone re-registers on the resident switching node; and means for removing the copy of the authentication information from the other one of the set of switching nodes after the mobile telephone registers on the second non-resident switching node that is not part of the authentication hierarchical structure.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
90 words
The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the means for removing the copy of the authentication information on the other one of the set of switching nodes comprises means for communicating a message by the resident switching node to the first non-resident switching node to request the removal of the copy of the authentication information; and means for communicating a second message to the other one of the set of switching nodes to request that the other one of the set of switching nodes remove the copy of the authentication information.