Gateway GPRS support node and method therefor

• US 20020077133A1
• Filed: 12/20/2000
• Published: 06/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Lauson, David J., Provost, Curtis, Mizell, Jerry
• Granted Patent: US 7,027,826 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]

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.

Claims

1. A method within a gateway GPRS support node (GGSN) for processing a received SMS message for a specified mobile terminal, comprising:

receiving the SMS message at a specified IP address port; and

delivering the SMS message to an SMS proxy module within the gateway GPRS support node for processing.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of determining if a destination mobile terminal has an active PDP context session.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of initiating a network requested PDP context activation.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of forwarding the SMS message using a data packet protocol to a serving GPRS support node.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the SMS message is forwarded to the serving GPRS support node utilizing a GPRS tunneling protocol.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the message is transmitted in a data packet format within the GPRS tunneling protocol.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of delivering the SMS message in an IP packet format to the mobile terminal.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the message is transmitted in a legacy SMS protocol to the SGSN.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the SMS proxy module generates a query to an HLR to determine if an active PDP context exists for the mobile terminal.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the SMS proxy module determines, from a response from the HLR, the serving GPRS support node for the mobile terminal.

11. A gateway GPRS support node (GGSN), comprising:

circuitry coupled to receive data packets from a private data network for delivery to one of a plurality of mobile terminals;

circuitry coupled to receive data packets from the Internet for delivery to one of a plurality of mobile terminals; and

circuitry coupled to receive and process SMS messages from the Internet at a specified port that is for receiving only SMS messages in a data packet format, which SMS messages are for delivery to one of a plurality of mobile terminals.

12. The GGSN of claim 11 further including circuitry for processing SMS messages.

13. The GGSN of claim 12 wherein the circuitry for processing SMS messages defines logic to prompt the GGSN to determine if an active PDP context is in place for the one of a plurality of mobile terminals.

14. The GGSN of claim 12 wherein the circuitry for processing SMS messages defines logic to prompt the GGSN to initiate an active PDP context for the one of a plurality of mobile terminals.

16. The method of claim 15 including the step of determining a port address within the gateway device to which the received data packets were transmitted.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the determining step includes determining the data packets collectively form an SMS message if the data packets were received at a specified address.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of initiating specified logic includes initiating logic that causes the GGSN to determine if an active PDP context exists for the mobile terminal.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein an active PDP context is initiated prior to the transmission of the data packets.

15. A method in a gateway device for receiving and processing data packets that are to be transmitted through a plurality of systems for delivery to a mobile terminal, comprising:

receiving the data packets from a data packet port;

determining if the data packets collectively form an SMS message;

initiating SMS message processing logic if the data packets collectively form an SMS message; and

transmitting the data packets to the mobile terminal by way of the plurality of systems.