Patent Application
20050245259
The worldwide wireless industry has several different network protocol types that are being used in various parts of the world. This situation is partly due to the proliferation of wireless technology in various parts of the world before a standard protocol was established. As such, several systems each having a different protocol now exist in various distinct locations, such as Asia, Europe, and the United States, to name a few. Additionally, network protocols are being created and adopted throughout the world to support advances in the speed of the networks and the functions that the networks can provide.
With each advance of a new protocol into the industry or the advance of an existing protocol into a new coverage area, the infrastructure providing communication between devices must be changed to accommodate the new or newly available protocol. In order to change the infrastructure without requiring all of their subscribers to purchase devices compatible with a protocol not currently available in their area, many providers are trying to update their existing infrastructure to support both their existing protocol and a newly available protocol, at least temporarily.
Another approach has been to overlay a new protocol infrastructure over an area covered by an existing protocol. In this way, both, the users of the existing protocol and the users of the newly available protocol, can utilize their devices in the same or similar coverage areas. Based upon this approach, currently, several networks supporting voice, data, and/or video formats oftentimes overlap each other, at least partially.
Where networks having different protocols communicate with each other, several issues arise with respect to communicating between the different network protocols. For example, each network has different ways of identifying subscribers to their network. For instance in an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) type network, each subscriber is given a ten digit telephone number called a Mobile Directory Number (MDN). The MDN is a directory listing telephone number (e.g., dialable number) that is dialed to reach a communications device, such as a mobile device.
The MDN is usually associated with a Mobile Identification Number (MIN) in a wireless device, such as a telephone. The MIN is a unique registration number associated with a communications device when the device is registered on a particular network that is serving the subscriber. MINs are used internally by the network and are usually transparent to the subscriber. The MIN is associated with the MDN by the network serving the subscriber and is used to identify the subscriber within the serving network.
In some networks, such as various networks within the United States and Canada, the MDN and MIN can typically be the same value for a particular subscriber to a particular network. When a subscriber to a network is roaming into another network within the United States or internationally, oftentimes the result is that the MDN is different from the MIN.
In such cases, other identification numbers are used by different network types and have been given different names to describe them. For example, a subscriber identifier in a GSM network is called an International Mobile Subscriber Identifier (IMSI) and the directory listing telephone number is called a Mobile Station Integrated Services Digital Network number (MSISDN).
An MSISDN provides similar functionality to that of the MDN described above, but is used by the GSM protocol. In some cases the MDN and MSISDN can be the same identifier. However, in many cases, the MDN and MSISDN are different and, therefore, the use of a MDN from one protocol, for example, cannot be used to identify a subscriber or the MSISDN for that subscriber in a different network. This situation occurs most often when a subscriber is roaming internationally out of their home network. The situation also arises when subscribers on different networks have been given the same MSISDN/MDN. In such situations a subscriber cannot have the same identifier in both network types because the identifier is already in use by another subscriber.
The IMSI is an identification code for a mobile device similar to a MIN. In a GSM type network, each subscriber can have one IMSI that is associated with several MSISDNs for a particular subscriber. The same can be true with respect to a subscriber having one MIN associated with one or more MDNs in an ANSI network. These examples from ANSI and GSM are provided as illustrations as to how different identifiers are used by networks. Similar types of identifiers are present in networks other than ANSI and GSM and, as stated above, the invention is not limited to these two network types.
Identifiers such as the IMSI and the MIN are commonly referred to as network keys. In various networks operating in the world today, the network keys can have different formats, such as the number of digits, the meaning of each digit, and the like.
These differences in format can make it difficult for different network protocols to communicate with each other. To overcome this difficulty, it has been suggested that one of the currently available key formats be adopted as a universal key for all network protocols or that a new key format be created that can be used for all networks. However, since the formats can be different, a single key cannot be assigned to a subscriber for all network protocols.
Additionally, wireless communications networks are constantly evolving in areas such as: the formats of signal transmission, the kinds of communications, and the number of services they provide. For example, wireless networks have added the capability to transmit packet-based data for mobile wireless communications purposes. In this way, the convergence and interoperation between back-end computing systems (such as servers and data stores) and front-end user devices (such as PDAs and mobile wireless telephones) have been enabled. Such interoperation, for example, allow front-end user devices to access digitized voicemail, order processing, and Internet portals, to name the functions of a few types of back-end computing systems.
As systems evolve, from 2G, to 2+G, to 2.5G, to 3G networks and beyond, the protocols used to implement these networks are also evolving and therefore situations arise where different network keys are implemented. Wireless network operators are interested in using their legacy infrastructure with these evolving networks, however, by using different network keys, the network protocols can have difficulty locating and connecting with a subscriber.
Embodiments of the present invention communicate with devices on networks of different types through use of a link structure that can be accessed to provide network keys for the variety of networks that are available to a particular subscriber. In this way, a communications session can be created between the requesting communications device or network and any of a number of networks upon which a target communications device is registered.
For example, a requesting subscriber on a serving network wants to contact another (target) subscriber that may be a subscriber on the serving network or on another network. When a user subscribes to a network, one or more of the user's communications devices is registered on the serving network and is assigned a network key for the network.
In order for the requesting subscriber to connect with the target subscriber, the requesting subscriber's communications device requests a connection with the target subscriber's communications device by providing the directory listing telephone number or other identifier that has been assigned to the target communications device when it was registered with a network. The serving network can use the identifier to locate the network key associated with the identifier. In various embodiments described herein, a link structure can associate all of the network keys assigned to a subscriber's registered communications devices when the subscriber registered on each network.
When a call is initiated by a requesting communications device, the network type that is serving the requesting subscriber can check to see if the target communications device is accessible through the serving network. If the target communications device is registered but inaccessible, or is unregistered, the serving network can attempt to access the records of other network types to see if the target communications device is registered on one of the other networks.
The embodiments of the present invention allow access to a link structure, such as a link file which, as described above, includes network keys for accessing the subscriber information on network types on which the subscriber is registered. This also allows for the network key information to be present in a location for a number of network types, thereby providing greater ease in locating the network keys and allows for keys to be added, changed, or canceled more easily. In various embodiments, the process of creating the connection through accessing a link structure can be transparent to the subscriber.
As one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate upon reading this disclosure, a network infrastructure can support a communications session. Communications sessions include, for example, data transfer, voice transfer, video transfer, and a mix of data, voice, and/or video, to name a few.
The infrastructure is operable to initiate a communications session from one communications device (requesting communications device) to another communications device (target communications device). A communications device can be any interface equipment used to receive and transmit information to and/or from a user. Examples of communications devices include mobile devices, handsets, or computer terminals, among others.
Communications sessions can be initiated from communications devices that are operable on one or more of a variety of serving networks and can be received on devices that are operable on one or more of a variety of target networks. Further, the communications session can be initiated on any network available including, but not limited to networks such as: on wireline networks like Publicly Switched Telephone Networks (PSTN), and on wireless networks like Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) networks, American National Standards Institute (ANSI) networks, Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) networks, and Enhanced Data for Global Evolution (EDGE) networks, Public Wireless Local Area Networks (PWLAN), and/or Internet Protocol (IP) networks, to name a few.
In this example, a subscriber in the ANSI network 101 has been assigned a MIN of 1111111111 and an MDN of 4021111111. When a requesting subscriber requests the MDN 4021111111 (e.g., by dialing the number into the requesting communications device), program instructions within the ANSI network execute to identify that the MDN 4021111111 is assigned to a subscriber having the MIN 1111111111. A link ID has also been assigned to the subscriber and can be associated with the MIN and/or MDN assigned to the subscriber.
Program instructions within the serving network can execute to check its records to see if the MIN 1111111111 is registered and if the target communications device is accessible. If the target communications device is accessible, the call can be directed to the target subscriber. If the target communications device cannot be accessed by the serving network, then the link file can be accessed and a connection on a different network type can be attempted. In various embodiments, the serving network can access the link file initially to identify the network key for the serving network.
In the example of
In various embodiments, the link structure can also include program instructions executable to add, organize, update, and/or remove network keys and link files. The link structure can include program instructions which execute to identify a link file or a portion of a link file having the subscriber's information therein. In various embodiments, the link structure can be or can include the link ID.
In the example of
The network types shown include an ANSI (A), GSM (G), GPRS (Gr), and another Wireless network (W) based upon the wireless 802.11 standard as the standard is known and understood in the art. The network types shown are examples of various network types and more, less, or different network types can be present in the link file. Additionally, the network keys shown in
The link structure 202 includes a number of link files, a number of system and network level files, and a number of APIs. The system and network files of the link structure 202 are program instructions that execute to allow for management of the link files as will be described in greater detail below with respect to
The system and network files of the link structure 202 also are executable to allow for the interaction of the link structure 202 with the networks 201 and 203 among others. Although the link structure has been illustrated in
In the embodiment shown in
Those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the communication devices, servers, and other computing devices discussed herein, such as a server or computing device in serving network 301, computing device 302, and communications device 304, include one or more processors and memory therein for the storing and execution of program instructions. Memory can include non-volatile and volatile memory such as Flash memory, Read Only Memory (ROM), Random Access Memory (RAM), and optical memory, among others.
The communications devices that can be utilized can be fixed or mobile devices and can have several networks through which a communications session can take place. In
In the serving network 301 of
The geographic area serviced by a wireless telecommunications network is partitioned into a number of spatially distinct areas called “cells.” Each MSC is responsible for, among other things, establishing and maintaining calls between communications devices, such as between a mobile device and a wireline terminal, which is connected to the system via local and/or long-distance networks.
An MSC is a telephone switch specialized for wireless and mobility support. An MSC performs various functions, including mobility management, call handoffs, call admission, call control, resource allocation, and so forth. The call is then relayed from the MSC to one or more base stations, via wireless communication, to the target communications device.
In
As illustrated in the embodiment of
An HLR is a database in a cellular system that contains all the subscribers within the provider's home service area. Those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that an HLR can be a standalone device such as a server or the functionality of an HLR can be integrated into another network device, such as into an MSC or VLR effectively making the device a combined MSC/HLR or VLR/HLR device.
In order to provide mobile service to a registered mobile device 304, the serving MSC 312 transmits a signal, such as a location update signal (e.g., GSM message), to an HLR, such as HLR 316. The data in the HLR is requested and transferred to a VLR in the new area.
The transferred signal informs the HLR 316 of the network address associated with the MSC 312 currently serving the mobile device 304 and also requests requisite subscriber information for providing mobile service to the roaming mobile device 304. The HLR 316 updates its database to store the network address representing the serving MSC 312 and also copies the requested subscriber information to the VLR associated with the serving MSC 312. The network address representing the serving MSC 312 stored in the HLR 316 is later utilized by the mobile network to reroute any incoming call intended for the mobile device 304 to the serving MSC 312.
Accordingly, whenever a telecommunications subscriber dials a telephone number for the mobile device 304, the HLR 316 is queried by the mobile network to determine the current location of the mobile device 304. Utilizing the stored network address in HLR 316 representing the serving MSC 312, the HLR 316 requests a roaming number from the serving MSC 312 in response to the receipt of the query signal.
The roaming number provided by the serving MSC 312 is then used by the telecommunications network to route the incoming signal towards the serving MSC 312. The serving MSC 312 then pages the mobile device 304 and accordingly establishes a voice connection with the mobile device 304, if available. If the mobile device 304 roams out of serving MSC 312 coverage area and into another MSC coverage area, MSC 312 will hand-off the communication to the new MSC and its corresponding new base station.
Although, the use of HLRs and VLRs within the network can locate a roaming subscriber within the network, when a subscriber roams outside the network, this system cannot locate the subscriber. However, as shown in
Embodiments of the invention provide a computing device 302 to act as a locator of a communications device on a number of networks. In the embodiment shown in
As shown, the computing device 302 can be an independent unit as shown in
And, as described above with respect to the serving network 301, in order to provide mobile service to the registered mobile device 305, as the serving MSC 332, transmits a signal, such as a registration notification signal (e.g., IS-41 message) or location update signal (e.g., GSM message), to a home location register (HLR) 346. The data in the HLR is requested and transferred to a VLR in the new area, which may be part of an MSC, as illustrated by the MSC/VLR 332 of
As described with the network of
The requesting communications device is operating in a serving network 401, such as network 301 illustrated in
If the call cannot be connected or there is no association, meaning that the MDN is not associated with a MIN and therefore the MIN is not registered (e.g., MIN NOT REGISTERED in block 401) in the serving network 401, then program instructions execute to check to see if a link ID is associated with the MDN or the MIN. If a link ID is associated (e.g., LID PRESENT in block 401), then the serving network 401 uses the link ID to locate the link file (e.g., Locate (47) in
As stated above, the link ID can reference a portion of a file having information about a number of subscribers or can reference an entire file having information about the particular subscriber. The link ID can include the network type and network key for a number of networks. The network types and keys can be organized in various manners. For example, the network types and keys can be organized randomly, alphabetically, by size of network, or by likelihood that the subscriber will be in the network (e.g., in Europe, GSM and GPRS would be more likely than other network types), to name a few.
Program instructions execute on the serving network 401 or in the link structure 402 to select a network type and key from the hierarchy of network types associated with the subscriber (e.g., QUERY APPS BY TYPE in block 402) and to query the selected network to see if the subscriber is registered and accessible (e.g., QUERY APPS in block 402). In the example shown in
In the example of
In the example shown in
In the illustrated example of
The connection of the call can include the assignment of a Temporary Local Directory Number (TLDN), or similar temporary identifier, for the subscriber by the serving network 401 (e.g., REFORMAT TO TLDN in block 401). A TLDN is a temporary address assigned to a subscriber when the subscriber is roaming within a network. A TLDN is used in ANSI networks; however, other networks may use other temporary identifiers. In various embodiments, the TLDN can be forwarded to the serving network 401 and to the communications device to aid in the initiation of a communications session.
If the subscriber is inaccessible, then program instructions, such as in serving network 401 and/or link structure 402 can execute to select the next network type on the hierarchy in the link file, and the next network is contacted. For example, in
In the example shown, for instance, the left side of the table represents the network type of the new registration and the top side represents whether a registration is to be canceled in a particular network. For instance, in the example shown, when a subscriber is registered in an ANSI network, other ANSI registrations, GSM registrations, and GPRS registrations are to be canceled, but the registration in the Wireless network is to be maintained. The table of
A cancel instruction can be used to access the link ID during the cancellation of a subscriber on a network in order to cancel one or more of the network keys provided in the link structure for the particular subscriber. In this way, network types and keys for canceled registrations will not be listed in the link structure.
Likewise, a register instruction can be used during the registration process to add one or more networks by adding a network key to the link structure. Additionally, the information in the link structure can be added or edited through use of an update instruction. Further, in various embodiments, entire link files can be deleted, added, or the information within a link file can be cleared for re-entry.
The embodiments of the invention are not limited to any particular operating environment or to software written in a particular programming language. Software, application modules, and/or computer executable instructions, suitable for carrying out embodiments of the present invention, can be resident in one or more devices or locations or in several and even many locations.
Embodiments of the invention can also reside on various forms of computer readable mediums. Those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that a computer readable medium can be any medium that contains information that is readable by a computer. Forms of computer readable mediums can, for example, include volatile and/or non-volatile memory stored on fixed or removable mediums, such as hard drives, disks, memory cards, and the like, among others.
Unless explicitly stated, the method embodiments described herein are not constrained to a particular order or sequence. Additionally, some of the described method embodiments or elements thereof can occur or be performed at the same point in time.
At block 620, the method further includes obtaining a network key for a first network type. In various embodiments, the network key can be obtained from a link ID. The link ID can include, or be, a link structure or link file containing a number of network keys. For example, the link file can include a number of network keys and network identifiers formatted in a list. The link ID can include a number of network keys and the network keys can be organized in a hierarchy. Access to the link file can be accomplished in a variety of manners, such as through use of an application program interface that includes program instructions which execute to provide a mobile number associated with the link file.
The method of
The method can include obtaining subscriber identification information from a second network if the second network key is registered on the second network type. Subscriber information can include other information such as information that can be used to identify the status, information to aid in the establishment of a wireless call to the subscriber, and/or provide information about the subscriber such as a subscriber profile and/or billing information.
For example, when a subscriber is roaming within the second network, the HLR of the second network can request a roaming number (e.g., a “Provide Roaming Number” (PRN) request in a GSM network) from the MSC/VLR of the second network. The MSC/VLR can provide the roaming number assigned to the subscriber (e.g., in a GSM network, the response can be a “Send Routing Information” (SRI) response). When the MSC/VLR responds to the HLR, it provides a reachable address that can be used to navigate the network in order to reach the subscriber. The reachable address can include the identifier of the HLR or VLR that is serving the subscriber, for example.
Embodiments of the invention can also have link structures that include subscriber location and registration status information within the link file or link structure for one or more of the networks on which a subscriber is registered. In this way, the link structure does not have to query a network to see if a subscriber is registered or if the subscriber is available.
In various embodiments, the method can include directing a wireless call based upon a response received from the first network type. For example, the call can be directed to a subscriber on a wireless device. The call can also be directed to a voice mail system based upon a response received from the first network type.
For instance, if the particular subscriber is available to receive a call, then the response received from the first network will indicate that the subscriber is available. In such a case, the call can then be directed to the subscriber, e.g., at a wireless device, such as a wireless telephone or personal digital assistant (PDA), and the like. If the subscriber is unavailable, then the call can be directed to a messaging system, such as a voice mail system and the caller can leave a message for the subscriber.
The method of
Method embodiments can also include accessing a link ID associated with the second network key, when the second network key is not registered on the second network type. Various method embodiments can also include obtaining, from the link ID, a network key for a third network type according to a hierarchy of network types.
The various embodiments of the present invention can include various network types. For example, network types can include: ANSI, GSM, general packet radio service (GPRS), EDGE, UMTS, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA and Wireless CDMA) and 802.11 networks, to name a few.
Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that any arrangement calculated to achieve the same techniques can be substituted for the specific embodiments shown. This disclosure is intended to cover any and all adaptations or variations of various embodiments of the invention.
It is to be understood that the above description has been made in an illustrative fashion, and not a restrictive one. Combination of the above embodiments, and other embodiments not specifically described herein will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The scope of the various embodiments of the invention includes any other applications in which the above structures and methods are used. Therefore, the scope of various embodiments of the invention should be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full range of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.
In the foregoing Detailed Description, various features are grouped together in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the embodiments of the invention require more features than are expressly recited in each claim.
Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment.
