Patent ID: 7653200

Claim:
A multiple element gateway entity for supporting cellular authentication of cellular service subscribers communicating from an external Internet Protocol (IP) network to a cellular service IP network that resides in a cellular access network, wherein the multiple element gateway entity: resides at the cellular access network; and receives communication signals from a plurality of cellular subscribers via the external IP network; and wherein the entity comprises: a front-end gateway element configured to: communicate with the external IP network; process received communication signals; deliver subscriber specific authentication and security data to the cellular infrastructure gateway element using a first secured protocol; receive subscriber related authorization information from the cellular infrastructure gateway using a first secured protocol; process subsequently received communication signals directed toward the cellular service IP network; bind subscriber related authorization information with the subsequently received communication signals; and deliver only authorized subscriber's subsequently received communication signals to a services gateway element using a second security protocol; a cellular infrastructure gateway element configured to: interface with one or more cellular infrastructure components of the cellular networks that manage cellular subscriber related information; process subscriber specific authentication and security data according to a first secured protocol; deliver the processed subscriber specific authentication and security data to the cellular infrastructure; receive subscriber related authorization information; and communicate the subscriber related authorization information back to the front-end gateway element using a first secured protocol; a services gateway element configured to: communicate with the cellular service IP network; process received communication signals according to a second security protocol; and deliver the processed IP communication signals toward the cellular service IP network.