Patent ID: 7133386

Claim:
A wireless communication system, comprising: a macro wireless network comprising a radio access network and a service node, the radio access network operable to communicate information for a wireless session to the service node via a first interface of a type, wherein the first interface is provided in a router that is associated with the service node and that is operable to provide an authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) function for one or more access points, whereby the access points communicate AAA commands to the router to achieve respective authentications; and a micro wireless network coupled to the service node of the macro wireless network, the micro wireless network operable to communicate information for a wireless session to the service node via a second interface of the same type as the first interface; the service node of the macro wireless network operable to: receive via the second interface a request to authenticate the handover of a particular wireless session from the macro wireless network to the micro wireless network; and manage the authentication of the particular wireless session such that the particular wireless session may be handed over from the macro wireless network to the micro wireless network.