Short message gateway

• US 20020173320A1
• Filed: 03/13/2002
• Published: 11/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Markport Limited (Mavenir Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Markport Limited (Mavenir Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: McGrath, Martin, Corrigan, Louis, Aitken, David James
• Granted Patent: US 6,947,743 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/184 Messaging devices, e.g. message centre

Abstract

A short message gateway comprises a gateway function (SMGF) and programs in an HLR or a home network (IMT-2000). It does not have any physical impact on a foreign (PDC) network, and it converts short messages communicated between the home and foreign networks. The gateway function (SMGF) primarily inter-operates with an HLR and an SMSC of the home network, the GMSC providing the link to the foreign network. The gateway allows communication in a wide variety of scenarios for communication with subscribers in the home and foreign networks and roaming subscribers from one to the other.

Claims

1. A short message gateway comprising a gateway function (SMGF) comprising means for inter-working with entities of non-compatible networks and for performing short message format conversion between the networks.

2. A short message gateway as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gateway function comprises means for inter-working between a plurality of similar networks on one side and a different, non-compatible, network on the other side.

3. A short message gateway as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gateway function comprises means for residing in a home network and for performing inter-working functions between the home network and a foreign network without modification of the foreign network.

4. A short message gateway as claimed in claim 3, wherein the gateway function comprises means for comunicating with the foreign network via a gateway mobile switching centre (G-MSC) in the home network.

5. A short message gateway as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means in a Home Location Register (HLR) of the home network for returning an address for the gateway function as a serving VMSC or as a home SMSC, depending on the nature of the signals.

6. A short message gateway as claimed in claim 5, wherein the HLR comprises means for providing to the gateway function a MSRN of a roaming subscriber in a foreign network.

7. A short message gateway as claimed in claim 5, wherein the HLR comprises means for providing the gateway function with routing data for a call to a foreign subscriber.

8. A short message gateway as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gateway function further comprises means for capturing short message statistical data at configurable intervals.

9. A short message gateway as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gateway funciton comprises means for maintianing a table of corresponding message classes and tele-services, and for using said table for mesasge class and tele-services conversion.

10. A short message gateway as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gateway function comprises a programmable mapping funciton between data coding schemes, said mapping funciton being controlled by instructions in the form of operator commands and a configuration file.

11. A short message gateway as claimed in claim 1, wherrein the gateway funciton comprises means for converting a release message into independent messages.

12. A short message gateway as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gateway function comprises means for segmentation of messages if a network has a shorter maximum message length than another network.

13. A short message gateway as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gateway function comprsies means for maintainng a network transaction log of diagnostic data.

15. A computer program product comprising software code for completing a system as claimed in any preceding claim when loaded into a digital computer.

14. A short message gateway substantially as described with reference to the drawings.