Terminal roaming operations between intergenerational wireless networks

• US 20010031635A1
• Filed: 12/22/2000
• Published: 10/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Bharatia, Jayshree A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,763,233 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/432.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security

Abstract

A method for supporting operation of mobile terminal having a subscription in a packet switched wireless network within a legacy wireless network when the mobile terminal roams into the service area of the legacy network. The mobile terminal sends an attach request to a support node of the legacy wireless network. The legacy wireless network then authenticates the mobile terminal. Next, the support node of the legacy wireless network interacts with the packet switched wireless network to receive the mobile terminal'"'"'s subscriber data. The home subscriber service function of the packet switched wireless network then interacts with a prior support node to cancel the wireless terminals prior location. The support node of the legacy wireless network next requests a visitor location register of the legacy wireless network to register the mobile terminal. The visitor location register of the legacy wireless network then interacts with the packet switched wireless network to register the mobile terminal within the legacy wireless network. The visitor location register of the legacy wireless network next acknowledges to the support node that the mobile terminal has been registered within the legacy wireless network. Finally, the support node of the legacy wireless network acknowledges the attach request to the mobile terminal. In another operation, a packet switched wireless network services packet switched operations for a packet switched mobile terminal.

Claims

1. A method of operating a legacy wireless network to service a mobile terminal having a subscription in a packet switched wireless network, the method comprising:

receiving an attach request from the mobile terminal by a support node of the legacy wireless network;

authenticating the mobile terminal;

the support node of the legacy wireless network interacting with the packet switched wireless network to receive the mobile terminal'"'"'s subscriber data;

the support node of the legacy wireless network requesting a visitor location register of the legacy wireless network to register the mobile terminal;

the visitor location register of the legacy wireless network interacting with the packet switched wireless network to register the mobile terminal within the legacy wireless network;

the visitor location register of the legacy wireless network acknowledging to the support node that the mobile terminal has been registered within the legacy wireless network; and

the support node of the legacy wireless network acknowledging the attach request to the mobile terminal.

2. The method of

claim 1

, wherein in interacting with the packet switched wireless network to receive the mobile terminal'"'"'s subscriber data:

the support node of the legacy wireless network sends an update location message to a home subscriber service function of the packet switched wireless network;

the home subscriber service function of the packet switched wireless network interacts with the support node of the legacy wireless network to download subscriber data to the support node of the legacy wireless network; and

the home subscriber service function of the packet switched wireless network sends an update location acknowledge message to the support node of the legacy wireless network.

3. The method of

claim 2

, further comprising the home subscriber service function of the packet switched wireless network interacting with a prior support node to cancel the wireless terminals prior location.

4. The method of

claim 1

, wherein when the visitor location register of the legacy wireless network interacts with the packet switched wireless network to register the mobile terminal within the legacy wireless network:

the visitor location register of the legacy wireless network sends a message via the roaming signaling gateway function of the packet switched wireless network to the home subscriber service function of the packet switched wireless network to request an update of the mobile terminal'"'"'s location;

the visitor location register communicates with the home subscriber service function of the packet switched wireless network via the roaming signaling gateway function of the packet switched wireless network to receive subscriber data for the mobile terminal; and

the home subscriber service function of the packet switched wireless network sends a message to the visitor location register of the legacy network via the roaming signaling gateway function of the packet switched wireless network to acknowledge the update of the mobile terminal'"'"'s location.

5. The method of

claim 1

, wherein the mobile terminal supports both legacy wireless network operations and packet switched wireless network operations.

6. The method of

claim 1

, wherein the mobile terminal supports only legacy wireless network operations.

7. The method of

claim 1

, further comprising establishing a packet data context for the mobile terminal within the legacy wireless network.

8. The method of

claim 1

, further comprising the mobile terminal originating a call within the legacy wireless network.

9. The method of

claim 1

, further comprising terminating a call to the mobile terminal via the legacy wireless network.

10. The method of

claim 9

, wherein terminating the call to the mobile terminal via the legacy wireless network comprises:

receiving a call termination request from a coupled network at a gateway switch;

the gateway switch sending a routing information request message to the roaming signaling gateway function of the packet switched wireless network;

the roaming signaling gateway function of the packet switched wireless network interacting with the home subscriber service function of the packet switched wireless network to determine a serving switch of the legacy wireless network;

the roaming signaling gateway function of the packet switched wireless network interacting with the serving switch of the legacy wireless network to determine a roaming number for the mobile terminal;

the roaming signaling gateway function of the packet switched wireless network forwarding the roaming number for the mobile terminal to the originating switch; and

the originating switch terminating the call to the mobile terminal via the serving switch.

11. A method of operating a packet switched wireless network to service packet switched communication for a packet switched mobile terminal, the method comprising:

receiving an attach request message from the mobile terminal by a servicing support node of the packet switched wireless network;

authenticating the mobile terminal;

the support node of the packet switched wireless network interacting with a home subscriber service function of the packet switched wireless network to receive the mobile terminal'"'"'s subscriber data;

the support node of the packet switched wireless network interacting with a home subscriber service function of the packet switched wireless network to update the mobile terminal'"'"'s location;

the support node of the packet switched wireless network responding to the mobile terminal with an attach accept message;

the mobile terminal sending an application registration request message via the support node to a call state control function of the packet switched wireless network, wherein the application request message seeks to register a voice over internet protocol application supported by the mobile terminal;

the call state control function of the packet switched wireless network interacting with the home subscriber service function of the packet switched wireless network to register the application; and

the call state control function of the packet switched wireless network sending registration confirmation message to the mobile terminal.

12. The method of

claim 11

, further comprising:

originating a packet switched call by the mobile terminal; and

servicing the packet switched call by the packet switched wireless network.

13. The method of

claim 11

, further comprising:

receiving a packet switched call by the packet switched wireless network; and

terminating the packet switched call to the mobile terminal via the packet switched wireless network.

14. The method of

claim 13

, wherein terminating the packet switched call to the mobile terminal via the packet switched wireless network comprises:

a home call state control function of the packet switched wireless network receiving a call setup message;

the home call state control function of the packet switched wireless network interacting with the home subscriber service function of the packet switched wireless network to determine a serving call state control function of the packet switched wireless network;

the home call state control function of the packet switched wireless network forwarding the call setup message to the serving call state control function of the packet switched wireless network; and

the serving call state control function of the packet switched wireless network operating to initiate call termination to the mobile terminal.

15. The method of

claim 11

, further comprising establishing a packet data context for the mobile terminal within the packet switched wireless network.

16. The method of

claim 11

, further comprising refusing to register the voice over internet protocol application supported by the mobile terminal when the mobile terminal does not subscribe to such a service.