Patent ID: 8249594

Claim:
A method for assigning a mobile station to an unlicensed mobile access network controller in an unlicensed radio access network, the method comprising: the mobile station joining an access point; determining whether the mobile station has stored unlicensed mobile access network controller data; in response to determining that the mobile station has stored unlicensed mobile access network controller data, performing a registration process for stored an unlicensed mobile access network controller corresponding to the stored unlicensed mobile access network controller data; in response to determining that the mobile station does not have stored unlicensed mobile access network controller data, performing a discovery/registration process for an unlicensed mobile access network controller, wherein the discovery/registration process enables the mobile station to determine an identity of a default unlicensed mobile access network controller to act as a serving unlicensed mobile access network controller; in response to performing the discovery/registration process, determining if a registration of the mobile station is accepted; and in response to determining that the registration of the mobile station is accepted, establishing service for the mobile station; wherein performing a discovery/registration process for an unlicensed mobile access network controller comprises: retrieving an internet protocol (IP) address of a provisioning secure gateway (SGW); establishing a secure tunnel to the provisioning SGW; retrieving an IP address of a provisioning unlicensed mobile network controller; setting up a transmission control protocol (TCP) session to a port on the provisioning unlicensed mobile network controller; sending a query to the provisioning unlicensed mobile network controller for a default unlicensed mobile network controller; if the query does not receive a response, executing a no-response procedure and if the query is rejected, executing a rejection procedure.