Data handling system

• US 20030083065A1
• Filed: 10/15/2002
• Published: 05/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Orange S.A.
• Original Assignee: Orange Personal Communications Services Limited (BT Group PLC)
• Inventors: OʼNeill, Dominic Desmond Phelim, Eales, Michael David
• Granted Patent: US 6,968,188 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/433
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/04 Arrangements for maintaining operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/24 between backbone network devices

Abstract

In order to store data in a mobile telecommunications system, a data storage unit (HLR) has data functions (72, 74) providing data redundancy therebetween, control functions (79, 80) and signalling point (30, 31, 32) to enable the data storage unit to pass data to and from a mobile telecommunications network under the control of the control function. The control functions are physically separate from the data functions. The data functions (72, 74) may operate on the basis that one has a primary data function, a second has a primary standby function to achieve synchronised updating. The use of separate and hence distributed functions enables greater flexibility in the retrieval of data from the data storage unit (HLR).

Claims

1. A data storage unit (HLR) for a mobile telecommunications system comprising at least two data functions (72, 74), providing data redundancy therebetween, at least two control functions (79, 80), and transfer means (30, 31, 32) for enabling the data storage unit (HLR) to pass data to and from a mobile telecommunications network (10), the at least two control functions each having arranged to control the passing of data between both of said at least two data functions and said transfer means, wherein the at least two control functions are physically separate from the at least two data functions.

2. A data storage unit according to claim 1, wherein said at least two data functions comprise a first data function being a primary data function, and a second data function having a primary standby data function, the primary data function being arranged to generate signals under control of either of said two control functions for synchronised updating of all of said data functions, and the primary standby data function being arranged to generate signals under control of either of said two control functions for synchronised updating of all of said data functions in the event of a failure to said primary data function.

4. A data storage unit according to any one of the preceding claims, further including at least two further data functions providing data redundancy therebetween, the at least two control functions each being arranged to control the passing of data between both of said at least two data functions and said transfer means.

5. A data storage unit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each of said at least two control functions comprises a first sub-function linking to said transfer means and a second sub-function linking to said at least two data functions and to said first sub-function.

6. A data storage unit according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said transfer means comprises a plurality of transfer points each connected to each of said at least two control functions, each of said transfer points being able to pass data to and from unit mobile telecommunications network

7. A data storage unit according to any one of the preceding claims having a home location register.

8. A mobile telecommunications system comprising a mobile telecommunications network and a data storage unit according to any one of the preceding claims linked to said mobile communications network by said transfer means.

3. A data storage with (HLR) for a mobile telecommunications system comprising at least two data functions (72, 74), providing data redundancy therebetween at least two control functions (79, 80), and transfer means (30, 31, 32) for enabling the data storage unit (HLR) to pass data to and from a mobile telecommunications network (10), the at least two control functions each being arranged to control the passing of data between both of said at least two data functions and said transfer means, wherein the at least two control functions are separate from the at least two data functions, and said at least two data functions comprise a first data function being a primary data function, and a second data function having a primary standby data function, the primary data function being arranged to generate signals under control of either of said two control functions for synchronised updating of all of said data functions, and the primary standby data function being arranged to generate signals under control of either of said two control functions for synchronised updating of all of said data functions in the event of a failure to said primary data function.