Patent ID: 7944885

Claim:
A mobile network element, comprising: a communication interface; and a processor coupled to the communication interface and configured to: intercept a communication between a Generic Access Network (GAN) element and a core mobile network; generate a modified version of the communication; and forward the modified version of the communication via the communication interface, wherein the mobile network element is in communication with a cellular handset that is not configured to directly communicate with a generic access network using an interface of the generic access network; wherein the cellular handset is configured to enable a standard cellular air interface to interoperate with a “Up” interface, wherein a GAN controller (GANC) is communicatively disposed between an aggregation gateway (AGW) and the mobile network element, wherein multiple cellular handsets use one security tunnel in communicating with the AGW, wherein the AGW uses separate security tunnels corresponding to each of the multiple standard cellular handsets in communicating with the GANC, wherein the mobile network element comprises a GAN adjunct (GCA), wherein the GANC is communicatively disposed between the AGW and the GCA, and wherein the GCA and the AGW have a bypass connection that bypasses the GANC, and wherein the bypass connection at least carries handover requests.