Method and apparatus for a telecommunications network to communicate using an internet protocol

• US 20030128693A1
• Filed: 06/03/2002
• Published: 07/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Segal, Niranjan Nath
• Granted Patent: US 7,274,683 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/6842 Proteomic analysis of subsets of protein mixtures with reduced complexity, e.g. membrane proteins, phosphoproteins, organelle proteins
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4557 Directories for hybrid networks, e.g. including telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 Provisions for signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

The present invention reduces network operator memory requirements, administrative overhead, and operational costs by enabling a solution for SS7/IP communication that uses a single domain (e164.arpa) in ENUM for numbering schemes such as E.164, E.212, and E.214. Employing the present invention enables the SUA to deliver SCCP-user messages to the destination node using Global Title Information based on IMSI or E.164 numbers. Network operators populate ENUM databases with MAP URIs associated with mobility services such as MSC, HLR, and VLR. End point service node IP addresses, associated with a set of services, are stored in ENUM corresponding to the SAPC belonging to the local operator for a given PLMN. These end node IP addresses then are returned in the ENUM/DNS response to an E.1 64-based query.

Claims

1. A method for a telecommunications network to communicate using an Internet protocol (IP) comprising the steps of:

sending an IP query message to query for information associated with a target telecommunications network, wherein the IP message comprises a telephone number associated with the target telecommunications network;

receiving in response to the IP query message an IP address associated with the target telecommunications network; and

sending an IP message to the target telecommunications network using the IP address associated with the target telecommunications network.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the telecommunications network and the target telecommunications network each comprise public land mobile networks.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the IP query message comprises an IP ENUM query message.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the telephone number comprises an E.164 number used as a Service Applications PLMN Code (SAPC).

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the IP address associated with the target telecommunications network comprises an IP address of a network entity selected from the group consisting of a proxy server, an SS7 signaling gateway, and a service application node.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of receiving a registration request from a mobile subscriber containing an IMSI.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of determining a SAPC from the IMSI using an MCC (Mobile Country Code) and MNC (Mobile Network Code) from the IMSI.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of receiving, in response to the IP query message, at least one service provided by the target telecommunications network.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the at least one service comprises at least one service selected from the group consisting of an adaptation protocol, SIP, MAP (Mobile Applications Part), CAP (CAMEL Applications Part), dispatch, point code, E.212, E.164, E.214, and UFMI.

10. A method for a telecommunications network to communicate using an Internet protocol (IP) comprising the steps of:

sending an IP query message to query for information associated with a target telecommunications network, wherein the IP message comprises a telephone number associated with the target telecommunications network;

receiving in response to the IP query message an IP address associated with the target telecommunications network and a protocol associated with the target telecommunications network;

determining based on the protocol that a protocol incapability exists; and

sending an SS7 message to the target telecommunications network rather than an IP message.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the IP query message comprises an IP ENUM query message.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the telephone number comprises an E.164 number used as a Service Applications PLMN Code (SAPC).

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the protocol associated with the target telecommunications network comprises an adaptation protocol.

14. A telecommunications network comprising:

at least one router connected to an Internet protocol (IP) network; and

computer networking equipment, coupled to the at least one router, adapted to send an IP query message to query for information associated with a target telecommunications network, wherein the IP message comprises a telephone number associated with the target telecommunications network, adapted to receive in response to the IP query message an IP address associated with the target telecommunications network, and adapted to send an IP message to the target telecommunications network using the IP address associated with the target telecommunications network.