Patent Publication Number: US-2009239534-A1

Title: Apparatus and a system for registering profile information of a terminal

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) of a Korean Patent Application No. 10-2008-00025356, filed on Mar. 19, 2008, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The following description relates to a mobile communication system, and more particularly, to an apparatus and a system for registering profile information of a terminal in a network. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Generally, where a terminal accesses a network to transmit or receive data, the network my need to be aware of various types of information associated with the terminal, such as authentication information, charge information, and the like. 
     As an illustration only, in addition to an existing mobile phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), Ultra-Mobile PC (UMPC), and the like may also access the network as a terminal. With the increasing types of services available via the network, terminal information the network may need to be aware has also been increasing. 
     For example, a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) has been generalized in European countries and has been introduced to network accessible terminals so that a user may access the network with various types of terminals in turn. Accordingly, terminal information, that is, information regarding a terminal, may be dynamically changed. 
     As various types of wireless networks such as wireless broadband (WiBro), wireless local area network (WLAN), High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), and the like are generalized and readily available, the same terminal may access a plurality of wireless networks. Accordingly, each network may need to be aware of information associated with a current network being accessed by the terminal, location information of the terminal, and the like. 
     In a conventional art, access to authentication information, charge information, and the like was allowed for only a provider operating a corresponding network. A user of a terminal or the terminal was not allowed to access the information. Accordingly, where terminal information changed, it was difficult to immediately update the terminal information. 
     Accordingly, there is a need for a method, apparatus and system that registers profile information of a terminal. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one general aspect, there is provided a method, apparatus and system that registers or updates profile information of a terminal in a network. 
     In another general aspect, a profile information agent includes a receiver which receives a profile information transmission request message containing profile information associated with a terminal, and a transmitter which transmits a profile information registration request message to a profile information server, the profile information registration request message including the profile information, wherein the receiver receives a profile information registration response message from the profile information server corresponding to the profile information registration request message. 
     The profile information may comprise at least one of authentication information associated with the terminal, charge information, Quality of Service (QoS) information, communication network information associated with a network of the terminal, and service preference information. 
     The transmitter may transmit a profile information transmission confirm message to the terminal corresponding to the profile information registration response message. 
     The receiver may receive the profile information transmission request message using a cryptographic protocol. The cryptographic protocol may be an Internet Protocol Security (IPSec) protocol. 
     The transmitter may transmit the profile information registration request message using a cryptographic protocol. The cryptographic protocol may use a cryptographic key. 
     In still another general aspect, a gateway includes a transmitter which transmits, to a profile information agent, a profile information transmission request message containing profile information associated with a terminal, and a receiver which receives a profile information transmission confirm message from the profile information agent corresponding to the profile information transmission request message. 
     In yet another general aspect, a network access server includes a transmitter which transmits, to a profile information server, a profile information registration request message containing profile information associated with a terminal, and a receiver which receives a profile information registration response message from the profile information server corresponding to the profile information registration request message. 
     In still yet another general aspect, a profile information server includes a receiver which receives a profile information registration request message containing profile information associated with a terminal, a registration unit which registers the profile information based on the received profile information registration request message, and a transmitter which transmits a profile information registration response message corresponding to the profile information registration request message, based on the registration result. 
     Other features will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which, taken in conjunction with the attached drawings, discloses exemplary embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating an exemplary structure of a profile information updating system. 
         FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating an exemplary method of updating profile information using a profile information agent. 
         FIG. 3  is a diagram illustrating an exemplary method of updating profile information using a gateway. 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram illustrating an exemplary method of updating profile information using a network server. 
         FIGS. 5A through 5C  are diagrams illustrating an example of including a profile information transmission request message in a particular region of a Binding Update (BU) message according to an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary configuration of a profile information agent. 
         FIG. 7  is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary configuration of a gateway. 
         FIG. 8  is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary configuration of a network server. 
         FIG. 9  is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary configuration of a profile information server. 
     
    
    
     Throughout the drawings and the detailed description, unless otherwise described, the same drawing reference numerals will be understood to refer to the same elements, features, and structures. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The following detailed description is provided to assist the reader in gaining a comprehensive understanding of the methods, apparatuses and/or systems described herein. Accordingly, various changes, modifications, and equivalents of the systems, apparatuses and/or methods described herein will be suggested to those of ordinary skill in the art. Also, description of well-known functions and constructions are omitted to increase clarity and conciseness. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary structure of a profile information updating system. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the profile information updating system comprises a profile information agent  120 , a profile information server  130 , a gateway  150 , and a network server  170 . 
     According to an aspect, profile information may comprise all information associated with a terminal or a user of the terminal. For example, the profile information may comprise at least one of authentication information associated with the terminal, charge information, Quality of Service (QoS) information associated with a service being used by the terminal, communication network information associated with a network of the terminal, and service preference information associated with a service being preferred by the terminal. According to an aspect, the charge information may include fee schedule information of the terminal. 
     According to an aspect, the profile information associated with the terminal may comprise information associated with an address of the terminal in each wireless network. Where the terminal is handed over from a first wireless network to a second wireless network, a transmission path of data being transmitted to the terminal may be changed. Specifically, data being directly transmitted from the first wireless network to the terminal may be transmitted from the first wireless network to the second wireless network. Also, the data may be transmitted from the second wireless network to the terminal. After the handover is completed, the data may be directly transmitted from the second wireless network to the terminal. In order to transmit the data from the first wireless network to the second wireless network, the second wireless network may need to be aware of information associated with an address of the terminal in the first wireless network. 
     So that the second wireless network may authenticate the terminal, the second wireless network may need to be aware of address information of the terminal in the first wireless network. 
     A terminal that is able to access a plurality of wireless networks may use a plurality of services provided in each wireless network. In the case of a voice call, the terminal may make the voice call using a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service being provided in a WLAN. The terminal may also use a voice call service being provided by a mobile phone network. According to an aspect, profile information may comprise a service preference of the terminal with respect to the VoIP service and the voice call service provided by the mobile phone network, and each network may provide the terminal with a corresponding service based on the service preference included in the profile information. 
     Information included in the profile information may be changed according to a selection of a user of the terminal. Once the changed profile information is updated, each network may reflect the changed profile information to provide the service. According to an aspect, as the profile information associated with the terminal is changed, the changed profile information may be dynamically updated in the profile information server  130 . 
     The profile information server  130  may store profile information associated with the terminal accessing the network. Where the profile information is changed, the profile information server  130  may update the changed profile information. The network may provide an accessing terminal with an optimal service based on the profile information associated with the terminal stored in the profile information server  130 . According to an aspect, Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) server of a communication network may operate as the profile information server  130 . The AAA server may include security information and authentication information associated with each terminal in profile information of a corresponding terminal and manage the profile information. 
     Where profile information associated with a particular terminal is not stored in the profile information server  130 , the profile information server  130  may register profile information associated with the particular terminal according to a profile information registration request message. Where the profile information associated with the particular terminal is already registered, the profile information server  130  may update the registered profile information according to the profile information registration request message. A registration process and an update process may be the same, except for whether the profile information associated with the particular terminal is being stored for the first time. Accordingly, hereinafter, the terms “registration” and “update” may be used interchangeably. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the profile information agent  120  may receive a profile information transmission request message from a terminal  110  or the gateway  150 . In response to the received profile information transmission request message, the profile information agent  120  may transmit a profile information registration request message to the profile information server  130 . Where the profile information server  130  successfully registers profile information, the profile information agent  120  may receive a profile information registration response message from the profile information server  130 . According to an aspect, a home agent of a WLAN may operate as the profile information agent  120 . 
     The gateway  150  may detect that profile information associated with a terminal  140  is changed, and transmit a profile information transmission request message to the profile information agent  120 . The gateway  150  may receive a profile information transmission confirm message from the profile information agent  120 , depending on whether registration of the profile information is successful. According to an aspect, an access router of the WLAN may operate as the gateway  150 . 
     The network server  170  may detect that profile information of a terminal  160  is changed, and transmit a profile information registration request message to the profile information server  130 . The network server  170  may receive a profile information registration confirm message from the profile information server  130  depending on whether registration of the profile information is successful. According to an aspect, a network access server or an AAA client of the WLAN may operate as the network server  170 . 
     According to an aspect, where profile information associated with the terminal  110  or  140  is changed, the profile information agent  120  or the gateway  150  may detect the change in the profile information and update the changed profile information. The terminal  110  or  140  may not need to perform a separate procedure for updating the profile information. Accordingly, the profile information associated with the terminal  110  or  140  may be updated by minimizing change in a protocol associated with the terminal  110  or  140  and by changing only protocols of network devices such as the profile information agent  120 , the gateway  150 , and the network server  170 . 
       FIG. 2  illustrates an exemplary method of updating profile information using a profile information agent  120 . 
     In operation S 210 , a terminal  110  may transmit a profile information transmission request message to the profile information agent  120 . According to an aspect, the profile information transmission request message may include profile information. According to an aspect, the terminal  110  may use a Binding Update (BU) message to transmit the profile information transmission request message. The terminal  110  may set “U” bit in the BU message to “1”, indicating that the BU message includes the profile information. The terminal  110  may set a “code” region in the BU message to “0”, indicating that the entity transmitting the profile information transmission request message is the terminal  110 . The terminal  110  may add, to the BU message, a Profile Update (PU) option including the profile information. 
     In operation S 220 , the profile information agent  120  may transmit a profile information registration request message to a profile server  130 . According to an aspect, the profile information registration request message may include profile information. According to an aspect, the profile information agent  120  may use an AAA request message to transmit the profile information registration request message. The profile information agent  120  may add, to the AAA request message, a PU attribute including the profile information. The profile information agent  120  may set a “code” region of the AAA request message to “1”, indicating that the entity transmitting the AAA request message is the profile information agent  120 . 
     The profile information server  130  may receive the profile information registration request message and extract the profile information in the received profile information registration request message. The profile information server  130  may register the extracted profile information. 
     In operation S 230 , the profile information server  130  may transmit a profile information registration response message to the profile information agent  120 . According to an aspect, the profile information registration response message may include the same profile information as profile information actually registered by the profile information server  130 . The profile information agent  120  may compare the profile information registered by the profile information server  130  with the profile information transmitted from the profile information agent  120  to the profile information server  130  and determine whether accurate profile information is registered based on the comparison result. 
     According to an aspect, the profile information server  130  may use an AAA answer message to transmit the profile information registration response message. The profile information server  130  may add, to the AAA answer message, a PU attribute including the profile information. The profile information server  130  may set a “code” region of the AAA answer message to “1”, indicating that the entity receiving the AAA answer message is the profile information server  130 . 
     According to an aspect, the profile information server  130  may include the result of the profile information registration in the profile information registration response message and transmit the profile information registration confirm message. The profile information server  130  may use a “status” region of the AAA answer message to indicate whether registration of the profile information is a success. 
     In operation S 240 , the profile information agent  120  may transmit a profile information transmission confirm message to the terminal  110 . According to an aspect, the profile information agent  120  may use a Binding Acknowledgement (BA) message to transmit the profile information transmission confirm message. The profile information agent  120  may add a PU option to the BA message. The profile information agent  120  may set a “code” region of the BA message to “0”, indicating that the entity receiving the BA message is the profile information agent  120 . 
       FIG. 2  illustrates an example of starting a profile information update procedure by the terminal  110 . The terminal  110  may transmit the profile information transmission request message and receive the profile information transmission confirm message. Accordingly, the terminal  110  according to an exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 2  may need to support the update procedure described therewith in order to transmit and receive each message. 
     According to an aspect, a path from the terminal  110  to the profile information agent  120  and a path from the profile information agent  120  to the profile information server  130  may be cryptographic paths. Since a third party is not allowed to read profile information being transmitted via the cryptographic path, the profile information may be securely transmitted. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates an exemplary method of updating profile information using a gateway  150 . 
     In operation S 310 , the gateway  150  may transmit a profile information transmission request message to a profile information agent  120 . According to an aspect, the gateway  150  may use a BU message to transmit the profile information transmission request message. The gateway  150  may set “U” bit in the BU message to “1”, indicating that the BU message includes profile information. Also, the gateway  150  may set a “code” region in the BU message to “1”, indicating that the entity receiving the profile information transmission request message is the profile agent  120 . 
     An operation of the profile information agent  120  in operation S 320  and an operation of the profile information server  130  in operation S 330  are similar to the operation of the profile information agent  120  and the operation of the profile information server  130  described with reference to  FIG. 2 . Therefore, further descriptions will be omitted. 
     In operation S 340 , the profile information agent  120  may transmit a profile information transmission confirm message to the gateway  150 . According to an aspect, the profile information agent  120  may use a BA message to transmit the profile information transmission confirm message. The profile information agent  120  may add a PU option to the BA message. The profile information agent  120  may set a “code” region of the BA message to “1”, indicating that the entity transmitting the BA message is the profile information agent  120 . 
     According to an aspect, a path from the gateway  150  to the profile information agent  120  and a path from the profile information agent  120  to the profile information server  130  may be cryptographic paths. Since a third party is not allowed to read profile information via the cryptographic path, profile information associated with the terminal  140  may be securely transmitted. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates an exemplary method of updating profile information using a network server  170 . 
     Although not shown in  FIG. 4 , according to an aspect, the terminal  160  of  FIG. 1  may transmit a profile information transmission request message to the network server  170 . The profile information transmission request message may include changed profile information. 
     In operation S 410 , the network server  170  may transmit a profile information registration request message to a profile information server  130 . According to an aspect, the network server  170  may use an AAA request message to transmit the profile information registration request message. The network server  170  may add a PU attribute to the AAA request message, including the changed profile information associated with the terminal  160 . The network server  170  may set a “code” region of the AAA request message, indicating that the entity transmitting the AAA request message is the network server  170 . 
     The profile information server  130  may receive the profile information registration request message and extract the profile information in the received profile information registration request message. The profile information server  130  may register the extracted profile information. 
     In operation S 420 , the profile information server  130  may transmit a profile information registration response message to the network server  170 . According to an aspect, the profile information server  130  may use an AAA answer to transmit the profile information registration response message. The profile information server  130  may add a PU attribute to the AAA request message. The profile information server  130  may set a “code” region of the AAA answer message to “3”, indicating that the entity receiving the AAA answer message is the network server  170 . 
     Although not shown in  FIG. 4 , according to an aspect, the network server  170  may transmit a profile information transmission confirm message to the terminal  160 . 
     According to an aspect, a path from the terminal  160  to the network server  170  and a path from the network server  170  to the profile information server may be not cryptographic paths. Although profile information associated with the terminal  160  not supporting a cryptographic communication is changed, it is possible to update the profile information associated with the terminal  160 . 
       FIGS. 5A through 5C  illustrate an example of including a profile information transmission request message in a particular region of a BU message according to an exemplary embodiment. Hereinafter, a data frame including the profile information transmission request message will be described with reference to  FIGS. 5A through 5C . 
       FIG. 5A  shows a data frame that includes the BU message. The BU message may include a sequence number  511 , flags  512 ,  513 ,  514 ,  515 ,  516 ,  517 , and  518 , an undesignated region  519 , a life time  520  of the BU message, and a mobility option  521 . 
     According to an aspect, where the “R” flag  517  is “0”, a corresponding data frame may include the BU message. Where the “R” flag  517  is “1”, the corresponding data frame may include profile information. 
     According to an aspect, the terminal  110  or the gateway  150  of  FIG. 1  may set the “R” flag  517  to “1” and transmit a profile information transmission request message containing profile information to the profile information agent  120 . 
       FIG. 5B  shows a structure of a data frame including profile information. The data frame may include an option type  531 , an option length  532 , a code  533 , a NAI length  534 , NAI information (length variable)  535 , and a profile entry sub-option  536 . 
     The option type  531  denotes type information of a PU option. According to an aspect, where profile information is included in the profile information transmission request message transmitted by the gateway  150 , the option type  531  may have a value of “Profile-UPDATE-BY_MAG”. 
     The option length  532  denotes the length of the data frame shown in  FIG. 5B . 
     The code  533  denotes the entity transmitting the data frame containing the profile information, or the entity receiving the data frame. According to an aspect, where the code  533  is “0”, the entity may be the terminal  110 . Where the code  533  is “1”, the entity may be the profile information agent  120 . Where the code is “2”, the entity may be the gateway  150 . Where the code  533  is “3”, the entity may be the network server  170 . 
     The NAI length  534  denotes the length of a network access identifier and the NAI information  535  denotes a value of the network access identifier. 
     The profile-entry sub-option  536  may include the profile information. 
       FIG. 5C  shows an exemplary structure of the profile entry sub-option  536 . The profile entry sub-option  536  may include a sub-option code  541 , a sub-option length  542 , a status  543 , an “R” flag  544 , an undesignated region  545 , and profile entry data  546 . 
     The sub-option code  541  denotes a property of data included in the profile entry sub-option  536 . 
     The sub-option length  542  denotes the length of the profile entry sub-option  536 . 
     The status  543  indicates whether registration of the profile information is successfully completed. According to an aspect, when the registration of the profile information is a success, the status  543  may have a value of “0”. Conversely, when the registration of the profile information is a failure, the status  543  may have a value grater than “0”. According to another aspect, the value of the status  543  may be determined based on a progress of a profile information registration procedure. 
     The “R” flag  544  may indicate whether the profile information is registered. According to an aspect, where the “R” flag  544  is “1”, i profile information registered in the profile information server  130  may be deleted. Where the “R” flag  543  is “0”, the profile information included in the data frame may be registered. 
     The profile entry data  546  includes profile information to be registered in the profile information server  130 . 
       FIG. 6  illustrates an exemplary configuration of the profile information agent  120 . Hereinafter, an operation of the profile information agent  120  will be described with reference to  FIGS. 1 and 6 . The profile information agent  120  comprises a receiver  610  and a transmitter  620 . 
     The receiver  610  may receive a profile information transmission request message from the terminal  110 . The profile information transmission request message may include profile information associated with the terminal  110 . According to an aspect, the profile information transmission request message may be transmitted in a similar way to a BU message. A plurality of bits of which usages are undesignated may exist in a data frame including the BU message. According to an aspect, the plurality of bits of which the usages are undesignated may be used to transmit the profile information transmission request message. 
     According to an aspect, profile information may comprise at least one of authentication information associated with a terminal, charge information, QoS information, communication network information associated with a network of the terminal, and service preference information. 
     The transmitter  620  may extract the profile information included in the profile information transmission request message. The transmitter  620  may include the extracted profile information in a profile information registration request message, and transmit the profile information registration request message to the profile information server  130 . According to an aspect, the profile information registration request message may be transmitted in a similar way to an AAA request message. Also, a particular bit of the AAA request message may be used for transmitting the profile information registration request message. 
     In response to the profile information registration request message, the receiver  610  may receive a profile information registration response message from the profile information server  130 . The profile information registration response message may include information regarding whether registration of the profile information is a success, and profile information actually registered by the profile information server  130 . The profile information agent  120  may determine whether registration of the profile information is a success. Also, the profile information agent  120  may receive the profile information actually registered by the profile information server  130  to determine whether accurate profile information is registered. 
     According to an aspect, the transmitter  620  may transmit a profile information transmission confirm message to the terminal  110  in response to the profile information registration confirm message. 
     According to an aspect, the receiver  610  may receive a profile information transmission request message from the terminal  110  using a cryptographic protocol. The profile information transmission request message may include profile information. The profile information may comprise terminal authentication information and the like that may cause a problem when it is exposed to a third party. Where the profile information transmission request message is received from the terminal  110  using the cryptographic protocol, the receiver  610  may securely receive the terminal authentication information. 
     According to an aspect, the receiver  610  may receive the profile information transmission request message using an Internet Protocol Security (IPSec) protocol. IPSec corresponds to an Internet standard scheme for protecting an IP packet of a network layer and also denotes a set of security protocols and code algorithms that may support integrity, authentication, and a confidential security service of the IP packet in a security-vulnerable Internet network. Also, IPSec is a communication protocol that may realize secure communication in the security-vulnerable Internet. Also, IPSec is a communication protocol that may prevent an available virtual exclusive line such as an exclusive line on the Internet line, preventing a malicious behavior such as overhearing data. 
     According to an aspect, the transmitter  620  may transmit a profile information registration request message to the profile information server  130  using a cryptographic protocol. The profile information registration request message may include profile information. The profile information includes information that may cause a problem when it is exposed to a third party. Where the profile information registration request message containing the profile information is transmitted using the cryptographic protocol, the transmitter  620  may securely transmit terminal authentication information. 
     According to an aspect, the transmitter  620  may securely transmit profile information using a protocol. The protocol may use a cryptographic key. According to an aspect, the transmitter  620  may encrypt the profile information using the cryptographic key and transmit the encrypted profile information. The profile information server  130  may receive the encrypted profile information and extract the profile information using the cryptographic key. Since the third party that is unaware of the cryptographic key is not allowed to extract the profile information, the transmitter  620  may securely transmit the profile information. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates an exemplary structure of the gateway  150 . Hereinafter, an operation of the gateway  150  will be described with reference to  FIGS. 1 and 7 . The gateway  150  comprises a transmitter  710  and a receiver  720 . 
     The transmitter  710  may transmit a profile information transmission request message to the profile information agent  120 . The profile information transmission request message may include profile information associated with a terminal. 
     According to an aspect, the profile information may comprise at least one of authentication information associated with a terminal, charge information, QoS information, communication network information associated with a network of the terminal, and service preference information. 
     According to an aspect, the transmitter  710  may transmit the profile information transmission request message to the profile information agent  120  using a cryptographic protocol. The profile information transmission request message may include information, such as terminal authentication information and the like, that may cause a problem when the information is exposed to a third party. The transmitter  710  may securely transmit profile information using the cryptographic protocol. 
     According to an aspect, the transmitter  710  may transmit the profile information transmission request message using an IPSec protocol. 
     In response to the profile information transmission request message, the receiver  720  may receive a profile information transmission confirm message from the profile information agent  130 . The profile information transmission confirm message may include profile information registered by the profile information server  130 . The receiver  720  may compare the profile information registered by the profile information server  130  with the profile information included in the profile information transmission request message and determine whether accurate information is registered based on the comparison result. 
     According to an aspect, a determination unit (not shown) may be further provided. The determination unit may determine whether profile information associated with the terminal  140  is updated. Where the terminal  140  is handed over from a first wireless network to a second wireless network, the second wireless network may authenticate the terminal  140 . The terminal  140  may transmit the profile information to the second wireless network in order to be authenticated in the second wireless network. 
     According to an aspect, the terminal  140  may transmit the profile information to the gateway  150 . The gateway  150  may transmit the profile information associated with the terminal  140  to an AAA server of the second wireless network. 
     Since the gateway  150  is aware of the profile information associated with the terminal  140 , the determination unit may determine whether the profile information associated with the terminal  140  is changed. Where the profile information is changed, the transmitter  710  may transmit a profile information transmission request message to the profile information agent  120 . 
       FIG. 8  illustrates an exemplary configuration of a network server  170 . Hereinafter, an operation of the network server  170  will be described with reference to  FIGS. 1 and 8 . The network server  170  comprises a transmitter  810  and a receiver  820 . 
     The transmitter  810  may transmit a profile information registration request message to the profile information server  130 . The profile information registration request message may include profile information associated with the terminal  160 . 
     According to an aspect, the profile information may comprise at least one of authentication information associated with a terminal, charge information, QoS information, communication network information associated with a network of the terminal, and service preference information. 
     In response to the profile information registration request message, the receiver  820  may receive a profile information registration response message from the profile information server  130 . 
       FIG. 9  illustrates an exemplary configuration of the profile information server  130 . Hereinafter, an operation of the profile information server  130  will be described with reference to  FIG. 9 . The profile information server  130  comprises a receiver  910 , a registration unit  920 , and a transmitter  930 . 
     The receiver  910  may receive a profile information registration request message. The profile information registration request message may include profile information associated with a terminal. According to an aspect, the profile information may comprise at least one of authentication information associated with the terminal, charge information, QoS information, communication network information associated with a network of the terminal, and service preference information. 
     According to an aspect, the receiver  920  may receive the profile information registration request message from the profile information agent  120  or the network server  170 . 
     The profile information may comprise terminal authentication information and the like that may cause a problem when it is exposed to a third party. The receiver  910  may receive the profile information registration request message containing the profile information, using a cryptographic protocol. 
     The registration unit  920  may register the profile information of the terminal based on the received profile information registration request message. According to an aspect, various types of networks associated with a corresponding terminal may transmit a reference request message associated with the registered profile information. In response to the reference request message, the profile server  130  may provide profile information for the networks. Each network may provide an appropriate service for the corresponding terminal by referring to the profile information. 
     Based on a registration result of the registration unit  920 , the transmitter  930  may transmit a profile information registration confirm message in response to the profile information registration request message. According to an aspect, the transmitter  930  may transmit the profile information registration confirm message to the profile information agent  120  or the network server  170 . 
     According to an aspect, the profile information registration confirm message may include profile information actually registered by the registration unit  920 . The profile information agent  120  or the network server  170  may receive the profile information registration confirm message and determine whether accurate profile information is transmitted based on the profile information included in the profile information registration confirm message. 
     A number of exemplary embodiments have been described above. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made. For example, suitable results may be achieved if the described techniques are performed in a different order and/or if components in a described system, architecture, device, or circuit are combined in a different manner and/or replaced or supplemented by other components or their equivalents. Accordingly, other implementations are within the scope of the following claims.