Dual protocol GPRS message center and method therefor

• US 20020077131A1
• Filed: 12/20/2000
• Published: 06/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Lauson, David J., Provost, Curtis, Mizell, Jerry
• Granted Patent: US 6,970,711 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5322 for recording text messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0048 where the text-based messaging service is a Short Message Service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/06 using auxiliary connections for control or supervision , e.g. where the auxiliary connection is a signalling system number 7 link
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1235 where one of the core networks is a wireless network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/126 Interworking of session control protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/128 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A system for delivering SMS messages to a mobile terminal includes an apparatus and method that deliver the SMS messages either using legacy SMS message formats or data packet formats. Additionally, a connection is created between a message center and a gateway GPRS support node wherein SMS messages may be transmitted to the gateway GPRS support node in a data packet format. To provide this capability, the gateway GPRS support node includes a unique port address for receiving SMS messages and circuitry for processing SMS messages received in a data packet format. A serving GPRS support node is formed to include circuitry for determining whether to transmit the SMS message to the mobile terminal in a data packet format or in a legacy SMS message format and to receive the message regardless of the path utilized by the message center to transmit the message.

Claims

1. A method in a message center for delivering SMS messages to a mobile terminal, comprising:

determining whether to transmit an SMS message over one of an SS7 network or a data packet network; and

transmitting the message over one of the SS7 network or the data packet network.

5. The method in a message center of claim 1 including the step of determining to transmit the SMS message over the SS7 network instead of over the data packet network.

6. The method in a message center of claim 5 including the step of transmitting the SMS message to a serving GPRS support node by way of the SS7 network.

2. The method in a message center of claim 2 including the step of determining to transmit the message over the data packet network.

3. The method in a message center of claim 2 further including the step of converting the SMS message into a plurality of data packets, each data packet including a port address in a gateway GPRS support node.

4. The method in a message center of claim 3 transmitting the data packets that form the SMS message by way of a data packet network in a data packet format.

7. A method in a GPRS message center for delivering an SMS message to a GPRS ready mobile terminal, comprising:

converting the SMS message into a plurality of data packets, each data packet including a port address in a gateway GPRS support node;

inserting a specified port address of a gateway GPRS support node into each of the packet headers; and

transmitting the data packets that form the SMS message by way of a data packet network in a data packet format to the specified port address within the gateway GPRS support node.

8. The method in a GPRS message center of claim 7 for delivering an SMS message to a GPRS ready mobile terminal further including the step of determining whether to transmit the SMS message over the data packet network or over an SS7 network.

9. The method in a GPRS message center of claim 8 for delivering an SMS message to a GPRS ready mobile terminal further including the step of determining to transmit the SMS message over the data packet network to the gateway GPRS support node.

10. A GPRS message center, comprising:

an IP protocol module for transmitting SMS messages over a data packet network; and

an SMS message processing module for processing SMS messages for delivery to a GPRS capable mobile terminal, the processing module coupled to deliver SMS messages to the IP protocol module.

11. The GPRS message center of claim 10 further including an SS7 protocol module for transmitting SMS messages over an SS7 network.

12. The GPRS message center of claim 10 further including logic to determine whether to transmit an SMS message over the data packet network or over the SS7 network.

13. The GPRS message center of claim 10 further including logic for forming a plurality of data packets, the data packets jointly carrying an SMS message.

14. The GPRS message center of claim 10 further including logic for inserting a specified data packet port address in a header of each of the plurality of data packets, the port address defining a gateway GPRS support node IP address for receiving data packets forming an SMS message.

16. The GPRS message center of claim 15 wherein the dual mode transceiver circuitry is formed to transmit SMS messages over a data packet network.

17. The GPRS message center of claim 15 wherein the dual mode transceiver circuitry is formed to transmit SMS messages over an IP network.

18. The GPRS message center of claim 15 wherein the dual mode transceiver circuitry is formed to transmit SMS messages over an SS7 network.

19. The GPRS message center of claim 15 wherein the SMS message processing circuitry defines logic for determining which one of a plurality of networks should be used for transmitting the SMS message.

20. The GPRS message center of claim 19 wherein the SMS message processing circuitry defines logic transmits the SMS messages over an IP network as a default.

15. A GPRS message center, comprising:

SMS message processing circuitry; and

dual mode transceiver circuitry coupled to receive SMS messages from the SMS message processing circuitry, the dual mode circuitry for transmitting SMS messages over at least one of a plurality of networks coupled to a plurality of network ports.