The invention pertains to the Internet connections of communication devices (potentially radio devices) via access networks (potentially radio access networks) supporting an Internet protocol (or IP).

Here, "communication device" refers to any type of device or terminal capable of establishing wired (or wireless (or radio)) communications with another communication device (potentially a network device) via at least one wired or wireless access network. Consequently, it may be a desktop or portable computer, a mobile or cellular telephone, or a personal digital assistant (or PDA) equipped with a communication module (wired or wireless), potentially a smartphone, for example.

The invention pertains to any type of wired or wireless access network supporting an Internet protocol (or IP), and particularly (though not limited to) Ethernet wired networks and WiFi (IEEE 802.1 1 ), WiMAX (IEEE 802.16) or LTE ("Long Term Evolution" - the evolution known as 4G of a UMTS network) radio networks, but also 3G networks and their evolutions.

As is known to a person skilled in the art, the Internet connection of a radio communication device via an access network (particularly a radio access network) comprises three phases.

A first phase, known as an access point attachment phase, is carried out whenever a communication device wishes to connect to the Internet. It is intended to attach the radio communication device to a radio access device of the access network (such as, but not limited to, an access point).

A second phase, known as the authentication phase, is carried out once the attachment phase has proceeded correctly. It is intended to determine whether the communication device is permitted to access the access network.

A third phase, known as the connection (or IP connectivity setup) phase, is carried out once the communication device has been permitted to access the access network. It is intended to connect the communication device to the Internet using a determined IP connectivity mode and via the access network to which it became attached during the attachment phase.

3 This connection phase generally does not pose any problems when the access network to which the communication device has become attached is its home network. This is because the communication device, in this situation, supports at least one IP connectivity mode which is identical to an IP connectivity mode used by its home access network for establishing its

) connection to the Internet.

As a reminder, a communication device may be configured to support multiple IP connectivity modes in order to be able to connect to the Internet via multiple different access networks, and an access network may be configured so as to use multiple IP connectivity modes in order to enable the Internet

3 connection of different types of communication devices. The different IP connectivity modes which are currently used particularly include Mobile IP v4 (or mip4), Mobile IP v6 (or mip6), Proxy Mobile IP v4 (or pmip4), Proxy Mobile IP v6 (or pmip6), and basic IP.

It should therefore be understood that whenever a communication

) device attempts to connect to the Internet via a visited access network (roaming), that access network may sometimes use one or more IP connectivity modes which are not the ones that the communication device supports. In this situation, the connection to the Internet cannot succeed, even though the attachment and authentication phases had proceeded correctly, owing to the

3 interoperability agreements made between the operators of the home and visited networks. Not only does this situation waste the communication device's time, it also leads to a needless use of the access network's resources.

Furthermore, whenever a communication device supports multiple IP connectivity nodes and does not know the ones that the access network via

) which it wishes to connect to the Internet can use, it must, during the last connection phase, attempt to use a first mode, and if that attempt fails, it must attempt to use a second mode, and so on until an attempt succeeds or all the attempts fail. This situation also wastes the time of the communication device, and leads to a needless use of the access network's resources.

The purpose of embodiments of the invention is therefore to improve the situation.

3 To that effect, it discloses a method devoting to managing the Internet connection, via an access network (capable of implementing at least one IP connectivity mode), of at least one communication device (capable of supporting at least one IP connectivity mode), the connection comprising an attachment phase, an authentication phase, and the connection phase.

) This method comprises:

i) adding to an authentication request of the authentication phase, intended for a communication device, a dedicated field comprising at least one primary identifier of each IP connectivity mode implemented by the access network, and

3 ii) if the authentication request is received by that communication device, to determine a mode common to those which are designated by the primary identifiers, contained within its dedicated field, and to those which are supported by that communication device, in view of using it to connect that communication device to the Internet during the connection phase.

) The method of embodiments of the invention may comprise other characteristics, which may be taken separately or in combination, in particular: - at least one secondary identifier may be added to the dedicated field, representative of one version (or variant) among several of at least one IP connectivity mode designated by a primary identifier contained within that

3 dedicated field. In this situation, a mode version common to those which are designated by the primary and secondary identifiers contained within the dedicated field, and to those which are supported by the communication device may be determined, in view of using it to connect that communication device to the Internet during the connection phase;

) - a dedicated field may be added to an authentication request of an authentication protocol which is an Extensible Authentication Protocol (or EAP), used during the authentication phase; the authentication request may be the one which is known as the ΈΑΡ request identity";

- the IP connectivity mode may, for example, be chosen from among (at least) Mobile IP v4 (or mip4), Mobile IP v6 (or mip6), Proxy Mobile IP v4 (or pmip4),

3 Proxy Mobile IP v6 (or pmip6) and basic IP.

Embodiments of the invention also disclose a first apparatus, intended to form part of an access network capable of implementing at least one IP connectivity mode for connecting communication devices capable of supporting at least one IP connectivity mode to the Internet.

) This first apparatus is configured, whenever a communication device has completed a phase of attachment to its access network, to add to an authentication request of the authentication phase, intended for that communication device, a dedicated field which comprises at least one primary identifier of each IP connectivity mode which is implemented by its access

3 network.

The first device of embodiments the invention may comprise other characteristics, which may be taken separately or in combination, in particular:

- it may be configured to add at least one secondary identifier to the dedicated field, representative of one version (or variant) among several of at least one

) IP connectivity mode designated by a primary identifier contained within that dedicated field.

- it may be configured to add a dedicated field to an authentication request of an authentication protocol which is an Extensible Authentication Protocol (or EAP), used during the authentication phase;

3 the authentication request may be the one which is known as the "EAP request identity";

- the IP connectivity mode may, for example, be chosen from among (at least) Mobile IP v4 (or mip4), Mobile IP v6 (or mip6), Proxy Mobile IP v4 (or pmip4), Proxy Mobile IP v6 (or pmip6) and basic IP.

) Embodiments of the invention also disclose an access device, for an access network, equipped with a first apparatus of the type described above. Embodiments of the invention also discloses a second apparatus for a communication device capable of supporting at least one IP connectivity mode to connect to the Internet via at least one access network capable of implementing at least one IP connectivity mode.

3 This second apparatus is configured, whenever an associated communication device has received an authentication request comprising at least one primary identifier of each IP connectivity mode implemented by an access network, to access the content of the dedicated field which is contained within that authentication request in order to determine a mode common to

) those which are designated by the primary identifiers, contained within that dedicated field, and to those which are supported by that associated communication device, in view of using this determined mode to connect that device to the Internet.

This second apparatus may also be configured, whenever the

3 associated communication device has received an authentication request comprising at least one primary IP connectivity mode identifier and at least one secondary identifier representative of one version, among several, of at least that IP connectivity mode, implemented by the access network, to access the content of the dedicated field contained within that authentication request in

) order to determine a mode version common to those which are designated by the primary and secondary identifiers, contained within that dedicated field, and to those which are supported by the associated communication device, in view of using that determined mode version to connect that device to the Internet.

Furthermore, this second apparatus may also be configured to access

3 the content of a dedicated field which is contained within the authentication request of an Extensible Authentication Protocol (or EAP).

Embodiments of the invention also disclose a communication device equipped with a second apparatus of the type described above.

Embodiments of the invention are particularly well-suited, but not

) exclusively so, to WiFi, WiMAX, and LTE ("Long Term Evolution") radio access networks.

Other characteristics and advantages of embodiments of the invention will become apparent upon reading the detailed description below, and the attached drawing, in which the sole figure schematically and functionally illustrates a first radio access network, called a home network, and a second radio access network, called the visited network, each equipped with first

3 apparatuses according to embodiments of the invention, and both coupled to the Internet network, as well as a radio communication device equipped with a second apparatus according to embodiments of the invention and attempting to connect to the Internet via the second radio access network.

The drawing may serve not only to complete embodiments of the

) invention, but also to contribute to defining it, if need be.

The object of embodiments of the invention is to facilitate the connection to the Internet of communication devices (Ej) via an IP protocol access network (RARi).

The sole figure schematically depicts two radio access networks RARi

3 (i = 1 or 2) using the IP protocol which are wireless (or radio), and are connected to the network of networks (or Internet) Rl. The first radio access network RAR1 is the home network of users who use radio communication devices Ej (j = 1 or 2), while the second radio access network RAR2 is a network with which the operator of the first radio access network RAR1 has

) made interoperability agreements. It should be understood that the second radio access network RAR2 constitutes a visited network for the radio communication devices Ej whenever they become attached to it.

In the remainder of the document, it is assumed by way of a nonlimiting example that the first IP protocol access network (here a radio network) RAR1

3 is a WiFi network, while the second IP protocol access network (here a radio network) RAR2 is a WiMAX network. However, embodiments of the invention are not limited to these types of IP protocol access networks. Rather, it pertains to all radio (or wireless) communication networks supporting an IP protocol (such as TCP/IP), and particularly HSPA networks, wireless local area networks

) or WLAN, and mobile networks (such as UMTS or CDMA 2000) as well as their evolutions (such as LTE (Long Term Evolution)). Embodiments of the invention also pertain to wired access networks, in particular Ethernet networks. Given the choices mentioned above, the access networks PA of the radio access networks RARi, which the radio communication devices Ej may attach to, are access points. However, it should be understood that they may be base stations, or Node Bs, for example.

Furthermore, it is assumed in the remainder of the document, by way of a nonlimiting example, that the communication devices Ej are mobile or cellular telephones. However, embodiments of the invention are not limited to this type of communication device. Rather, it pertains to any type of device or terminal capable of establishing wired or wireless (or radio) communications within other

) communication devices (and potentially a radio device) via at least one Internet protocol (IP) access network. Consequently, it may also be a desktop or laptop computer, or a personal digital assistant (or PDA) equipped with a wired or wireless communication module, potentially a smartphone, for example

Embodiments of the invention proposes implementing a management method within a communication system of the type depicted in (though not limited by) the sole figure. This management method may, for example, be implemented by means of first apparatuses D1 installed within the access networks RARi and second apparatuses D2 associated with the various communication devices Ej, as depicted in but not limited by the sole figure.

) It should be noted that in the nonlimiting examples depicted in the sole figure, each access point PA comprises a first apparatus D1 , and each communication device Ej comprises a second apparatus D2. However, it may be conceived that each access network RARi only has a first apparatus D1 operating in a centralized fashion for each of its access points PA, or that each access point PA is connected to a first apparatus D1 which is dedicated to it. Likewise, it may be conceived that each communication device Ej is connected to a second apparatus D2 which is dedicated to it.

Consequently, a first D1 or second D2 apparatus according to embodiments of the invention may be constructed in the form of software (or

) computer) modules, or electronic circuits, or a combination of electronic circuits and software modules.

Embodiments of the inventive method comprise two main steps. A first main step (i) is implemented every time that a communication device Ej wishes to connect to the Internet Rl via an access network RARi.

As indicated in the introduction, this connection to the Internet Rl requires the execution of three phases: an attachment phase, then an

3 authentication phase, then a connection phase.

The first main step (i) is more specifically implemented whenever a (communication) device Ej (for example, E1 ) has successfully completed an attachment phase, and therefore has become correctly attached to an access point PA of an access network RARi (for example RAR2).

) This first main step (i) may, for example, be implemented by the first apparatus D1 which is associated with the access point PA to which the device E1 has just become attached.

This first main step (i) comprises adding to an authentication request of the authentication protocol which is used during the authentication phase

3 (which follows the successfully completed attachment phase) a new dedicated field (or "hint") CD which comprises at least one primary identifier representative of each IP connectivity mode which is implemented (or used) by an access network (here RAR2) to which a device (here E1 ) attempting to connect to the Internet Rl has just become attached. This authentication

) request (with its new dedicated field (or hint) CD) is intended to be transmitted by the relevant access point PA to the device E1 which has just become connected to it.

It is assumed in the remainder of the document, by way of nonlimiting examples, the authentication protocol which is used during the authentication 3 phases is that which is known as Extensible Authentication Protocol (or EAP).

However, embodiments of the invention are not limited to this authentication protocol. Rather, it pertains to any authentication protocol intended to make it possible to determine whether a device Ej is permitted to access an access network RARi.

) If so, the first device D1 of the relevant access network PA may add a new dedicated field CD to the authentication request which is known as "EAP request identity". It should be noted that a primary identifier may represent any type of IP connectivity mode used by an access network RARi, regardless of its type. Thus, it may, for example, represent Mobile IP v4 (or mip4), Mobile IP v6 (or mip6), Proxy Mobile IP v4 (or pmip4), Proxy Mobile IP v6 (or pmip6) or basic IP.

3 In the nonlimiting example under consideration, it may, for example, be assumed that the second access network RAR2, a WiMAX network which is visited by the first (radio) device E1 , may use the IP connectivity modes Mobile IP v4 (or mip4) and Mobile IP v6 (or mip6). In order to report this to the first radio device E1 , the first apparatus D1 associated with the relevant access

) point PA may, for example, use the format which is described in the rule RFC 4282 and which concerns the hints which may be added to the EAP messages (or requests). In this situation, if "IPmodes" is used to refer to the dedicated field CD containing the two IP connectivity modes (mip4 and mip6) used by the second access network RAR2, then this dedicated field CD may be

3 incorporated into an authentication request as indicated below in a nonlimiting fashion:

EAP-Request/ldentity Packet

Code: Request

Identifier: 0

) Length: xx bytes

Type: Identity

"Hello!\0IPmodes=mip4;mip6".

It should be noted that there are multiple versions (or variants) of an IP connectivity mode. In this situation, knowledge of the primary identifiers

3 (IPmodes) which represent the various IP connectivity methods used by an access network RARi is not sufficient. For example, this is true of IP access via WiMAX and LTE access networks. These two types offer mip4 and mip6 connectivity, but each one possesses at least one version (or variant). In fact, these versions mainly differ by how they generate the keys which are needed

) for mip authentication (which is different from that of the EAP protocol). It happens that some of these versions (or variants) may be incompatible. In order to take these situations into account, embodiments of the invention propose to add to the dedicated field CD at least one second identifier which is representative of a version (or variants), among multiples, of at least one IP connectivity mode which is designated by a primary identifier contained within that dedicated field CD. These secondary identifiers may, for example, be 3 contained within a dedicated (sub-)field designated by the expression "MlPkeys", which constitutes a subpart of the dedicated field CD (here designated by IPmodes). In the nonlimiting example given above, this may, for example, give:

EAP-Request/ldentity Packet

) Code: Request

Identifier: 0

Length: xx bytes

Type: Identity

"He//o/\0/Pmodes=m/ 4;m/ 6\0M/P/ eys=LTE_TS23402;I^ 4X_Sfage3".

3 It should be understood that in this example, the access network RARi may use the IP connectivity modes mip4 and mip6 with at least one of the versions (or variants) LTE_TS23402 (adapted to LTE access) and

WiMAX_Stage3 (adapted to WiMAX access).

The syntax proposed above pertains to versions of connectivity modes ) mip4 and mip6. But other syntaxes may be used for other IP connectivity modes and other mode version(s).

A second main step (ii) of embodiments of the inventive method is implemented when a device Ej (here E1 ) which has just become attached to an access point PA of an access network RARi (here RAR2) receives from said 3 access point PA an authentication request (here EAP) containing the new dedicated field CD (potentially with its variant subfield) during the authentication phase.

This second main step (ii) may, for example, be implemented by the second apparatus D2 which is associated with the receiving device Ej (here ) E1 ).

This second main step (ii) comprises determining (with the second apparatus D2) an IP connectivity node which is common to those which are designated by the primary identifiers (which are contained within the dedicated field CD included within the authentication request received by the device E1 ), and to those which are supported by that device E1 , in view of using this 3 common mode to connect the device E1 to the Internet during the connection phase.

In other words, whenever a device Ej receives an authentication request (here EAP) during the authentication phase, the second associated apparatus D2 is informed of this (by monitoring or by receiving a message) and

) searches within this authentication request if it contains a dedicated field CD.

If it doesn't, the work of the second apparatus D2 ends, and the connection procedure proceeds conventionally.

If it does, the second apparatus D2 extracts the content from the dedicated field CD (meaning each primary identifier, as well as each associated

3 secondary identifier if any), then compares the received and extracted primary identifiers, which represent the various IP connectivity modes used by the access network RARi to which the device Ej has just become attached, as well as each associated secondary identifier if any, with the primary identifiers which represent the various IP connectivity modes supported by the device Ej, as well

) as any associated secondary identifiers.

If the second apparatus D2 does not find an IP connectivity mode common to the device Ej and to the access network RARi, or a variant IP connectivity mode common to the device Ej and to the access network RARi, then the work of the second apparatus D2 ends, and the connection procedure

3 proceeds conventionally. In one variant, it may be conceived that the second apparatus D2 reports to the device Ej that there is no need to continue the connection procedure because it will not be able to succeed owing to the absence of a common mode or common variant.

On the other hand, if the second apparatus D2 does find an IP

) connectivity mode common to the device Ej and to the access network RARi, or a variant IP connectivity mode common to the device Ej and to the access network RARi, then it reports that common mode or common variant to the device Ej during the authentication phase so that it can directly use it at the start of the connection phase to connect the device Ej to the Internet Rl.

It should be understood that this makes it possible not only to keep the device Ej from wasting time searching at the start of the connection phase for 5 some common mode or common variant, which might not even exist, but also from needlessly using radio access network resources RARi.

Embodiments of the invention are not limited to the embodiments of the management method, first apparatus, second apparatus, access device, and communication device described above, which are given only as examples, but l o rather encompasses all variants that the person skilled in the art may envision within the framework of the claims below.