Patent ID: 8630414

Claim:
A method for authenticating a wireless device by a cellular communication network for accessing a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), the method comprising: generating an authentication access request by the wireless device based on a predetermined authentication key; receiving the authentication access request from the wireless device via the WLAN in an Inter-working Function (IWF) apparatus in communication with the wireless device and the cellular communication network; transmitting the received authentication access request to the cellular communication network by the IWF if the IWF does not possess information necessary to authenticate the wireless device for accessing the WLAN, wherein it is determined whether the IWF possesses the information necessary to authenticate the wireless device for accessing the WLAN, and wherein the authentication access request is not transmitted to the cellular communication network if it is determined that the IWF already possesses the information necessary to authenticate the wireless device for accessing the WLAN; and if the IWF does not already possess information necessary to authenticate the wireless device for accessing the WLAN: authenticating the authentication access request by the cellular communication network based on the predetermined authentication key; and receiving an authentication access response generated by the cellular communication network based on the predetermined authentication key.