SMS messaging

• US 20040133623A1
• Filed: 10/30/2003
• Published: 07/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Markport Limited (Mavenir Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Markport Limited (Mavenir Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Murtagh, John, Corrigan, Louis
• Granted Patent: US 7,801,539 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/200
• 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 8/12 between location registers or mobility servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/184 Messaging devices, e.g. message centre
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/24 between backbone network devices

Abstract

A virtual mobile node (22) has a pseudo HLR (23) and a pseudo MSC (24). It transfers an SMS message between an entity in a foreign mobile network having a different technology to an SMS entity connected to the local network. The pseudo HLR and MSC are both located in the home network but operate with the protocol of the foreign network. Thus, communication between the home and foreign networks is via SS7 signalling.

Claims

1. A mobile network node comprising means for interfacing with an entity of a local network (A) in which the node is located and with an entity of a foreign network (B) having a non-compatible protocol for communication of short messages between the networks, characterised in that,

the node comprises a pseudo network element operating with the protocol of the foreign network and comprising means for communicating with an actual element of the foreign network.

2. A mobile network node as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pseudo network element is a pseudo HLR.

3. A mobile network node as claimed in claim 2, wherein the node further comprises a pseudo MSC operating with the protocol of the foreign network and being connected to the pseudo HLR.

4. A mobile network node as claimed in claim 1, wherein the node comprises means for interfacing with a short message interworking gateway in the home network for bi-directional transfer of short messages.

5. A mobile network node as claimed in claim 4, wherein said interfacing means comprises a pseudo SMSC operating with the protocol of the foreign network.

6. A mobile network node as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pseudo network element comprises means for communicating with the foreign network actual element via a signalling network.

7. A mobile network node as claimed in claim 6, wherein the signalling network is an SS7 network.

8. A mobile network node for operating in a home mobile network, the node comprising:

a pseudo HLR comprising means for operating with the protocol of a foreign network, said pseudo HLR comprising means for receiving a short message from an SMSC of the foreign network;

a pseudo MSC comprising means for operating with the protocol of the foreign network, and for receiving a short message from the pseudo HLR;

means for routing the short message from the pseudo MSC to an SMSC of the home network.

9. A mobile network node as claimed in claim 8, wherein the pseudo MSC comprises means for terminating the message vis-à

-vis the foreign network.

10. A mobile network node as claimed in claim 8, wherein the routing means comprises means for interfacing with a home network SMSC interworking gateway.

11. A mobile network node as claimed in claim 10, wherein said interfacing means comprises an SMSC operating with the protocol of the foreign network.

12. A method for delivery of a short message from a foreign mobile network to a user or application server in a home mobile network, the foreign network operating with a different protocol from that of the home network, the method comprising the steps of:

an SMSC of the foreign network routing the message to a pseudo HLR in the home network, the pseudo HLR operating with the protocol of the foreign network;

routing the message to a pseudo MSC in the home network, the pseudo MSC operating with the protocol of the foreign network;

routing the message to an SMSC of the home network using an SMSC access protocol;

the home network SMSC routing the message to the destination user or application server.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the message is routed to the home network SMSC by a pseudo SMSC located in the home network and operating with the protocol of the foreign network.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the pseudo SMSC transmits the message to an interworking gateway, which performs protocol conversion and routes the message to the home network SMSC.