Mobile communication system, mobile terminal, subscriber information management apparatus, mobile network system, location area information registration method and call control method

• US 20020006808A1
• Filed: 07/12/2001
• Published: 01/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Inventors: Hirata, Shoichi, Onaka, Hidetoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,349,697 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/556.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4588 containing mobile subscriber information, e.g. home subscriber server [HSS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/06 Registration at serving network Location Register, VLR or user mobility server
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/205 Transfer to or from user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

A mobile terminal can be loaded with a plurality of subscriber identity module cards at the same time, and register the condition to a mobile communication network. The mobile terminal comprises detects a loading of a recording medium (such as an IC card like the SIM card), and transmits, when the detecting means detects at least two recording media, first subscriber identity information (e.g. IMSI, TMSI, etc.) corresponding to a first recording medium and second subscriber identity information corresponding to a newly detected recording medium, to the subscriber information management apparatus such as a visitor location register (VLR). The subscriber information management apparatus registers location area information of the first subscriber identity information as location area information associated with the second subscriber identity information.

Claims

1. A mobile communication system comprising a mobile terminal and a subscriber information management apparatus that manages subscriber information,

wherein said mobile terminal comprises:

detecting means for detecting a loading of a recording medium; and

transmitting means for transmitting, when said detecting means detects at least two recording media, first subscriber identity information corresponding to a first recording medium and second subscriber identity information corresponding to a newly detected recording medium, to said subscriber information management apparatus, and

wherein said subscriber information management apparatus comprises;

receiving means for receiving said first subscriber identity information and said second subscriber identity information from said mobile terminal; and

registering means for registering location area information of said first subscriber identity information as location area information associated with said second subscriber identity information.

2. The mobile communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said recording media is a subscriber identity module card.

3. The mobile communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first subscriber identity information is subscriber identity information stored in said first recording medium or temporary subscriber identity information corresponding to the subscriber identity information stored in said first recording medium, and said second subscriber identity information is subscriber identity information stored in said newly detected recording medium.

4. The mobile communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first subscriber identity information and said second subscriber identity information are associated with respective telephone numbers.

5. The mobile communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first subscriber identity information and said second subscriber identity information are associated with respective mail addresses.

6. A mobile terminal comprising:

detecting means for detecting a loading of a recording medium; and

transmitting means for transmitting, when said detecting means detects at least two recording media, first subscriber identity information corresponding to a first recording medium and second subscriber identity information corresponding to a newly detected recording medium, to a subscriber information management apparatus that manages subscriber information.

7. A subscriber information management apparatus for managing subscriber information, comprising:

receiving means for receiving first subscriber identity information and second subscriber identity information from a mobile terminal; and

registering means for registering location area information of said first subscriber identity information as location area information associated with said second subscriber identity information.

8. A mobile network system comprising:

managing means for managing communication state of a mobile terminal having at least two telephone numbers;

judging means for judging, when an incoming call to said mobile terminal occurs, whether said mobile terminal is in communication by using any one of said telephone numbers, based on said communication state; and

processing means for performing a process for said incoming call in accordance with said judgment.

9. A location area information registration method for a mobile communication system comprising a mobile terminal and a subscriber information management apparatus that manages subscriber information, said method comprising:

a detecting step of detecting a loading of a recording medium at said mobile terminal;

a transmitting step of transmitting, when said detecting step detects at least two recording media, first subscriber identity information corresponding to a first recording medium and second subscriber identity information corresponding to a newly detected recording medium, from said mobile terminal to said subscriber information management apparatus; and

a registering step of registering location area information of said first subscriber identity information as location area information associated with said second subscriber identity information at said subscriber information management apparatus.

10. A call control method in a mobile network system comprising managing means for managing communication state of a mobile terminal having at least two telephone numbers, said method comprising:

a judging step of judging, when an incoming call to said mobile terminal occurs, whether said mobile terminal is in communication by using any one of said telephone numbers, based on said communication state; and

a processing step of performing a process for said incoming call in accordance with said judgment.