System and method of messaging using MIN escape codes

• US 20040242245A1
• Filed: 05/28/2003
• Published: 12/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Sliva, Vladimir P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,113,802 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/466
• 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 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/04 Interfaces between hierarchically different network devices

Abstract

A method providing communication between an MSC and a mobile terminal in a wireless communications system including using the 10 digit MIN identifier for identifying the mobile terminal in all messages requiring a mobile terminal identifier sent from the MSC via a base station to the mobile terminal and using the 15 digit MIN-based IMSI identifier for identifying the mobile terminal in all messages requiring a mobile terminal identifier sent from the mobile terminal via the base station to the MSC. The method can also include deploying the use of 15 digit MIN-based IMSI identifiers in one MSC at a time. The invention also includes a system for providing mobile terminal identification information in a wireless system. The system includes a mobile terminal capable of receiving and responding to messages using a 10 digit MIN for identifying the mobile terminal and sending messages having a MIN-based IMSI identifier for identifying the mobile terminal. The system also includes an MSC capable of receiving and processing messages from the mobile terminal having the MIN-based IMSI identifier and sending messages to the mobile terminal using the 10 digit MIN identifier.

Claims

1. A method of providing communication between a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) and a mobile terminal in a wireless communications system comprising:

sending a message from the MSC to the mobile terminal using a 10 digit Mobile Identity Number (MIN) identifier for identifying the mobile terminal; and

sending a message from the mobile terminal to the MSC using a 15 digit MIN-based International Mobile Station Identity (IMSI) identifier for identifying the mobile terminal, wherein the 15 digit MIN-based IMSI includes a 5 digit MIN Escape Code (MEC) and the MIN.

2. The method defined in claim 1 further comprising:

using the 10 digit MIN identifier for identifying the mobile terminal in all messages requiring a mobile terminal identifier sent from the MSC to the mobile terminal; and

using the 15 digit MIN-based IMSI identifier for identifying the mobile terminal in all messages requiring a mobile terminal identifier sent from the mobile terminal to the MSC.

3. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the step of sending the message to the mobile terminal includes paging the mobile terminal.

4. The method defined in claim 3 wherein the step of sending the message includes sending the 10 digit MIN identifier over the paging channel.

5. The method defined in claim 1 further comprising deploying the use of 15 digit MIN-based IMSI identifiers in one MSC at a time.

6. The method defined in claim 2 further comprising:

collecting 5 digit MECs programmed in mobile terminals communicating directly with their home systems; and

collecting 5 digit MEC programmed in mobile terminals visiting visited systems.

7. The method defined in claim 6 further comprising:

comparing the collected MECs with the MECs stored in the system;

determining which collected MECs are incorrect;

determining which mobile terminals have incorrect MECs; and

correcting the MECs for mobile terminals having incorrect MECs.

8. A system for providing mobile terminal identification information in a wireless communications system comprising:

a mobile terminal capable of receiving and responding to messages using a 10 digit Mobile Identity Number (MIN) for identifying the mobile terminal and sending messages using a 15 digit MIN-based International Mobile Station Identity (IMSI) identifier for identifying the mobile terminal; and

a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) capable of receiving and processing messages from the mobile terminal using the 15 digit MIN-based IMSI identifier and sending messages to the mobile terminal using the 10 digit MIN identifier.

9. The system defined in claim 8 wherein the MSC is a home MSC.

10. The system defined in claim 8 wherein the MSC is a visited MSC.

11. The system defined in claim 8 wherein the MSC pages the mobile terminal by sending a message to the mobile terminal including the 10 digit Mobile Identity Number (MIN) for identifying the mobile terminal.

12. A method of providing communication between a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) and a mobile terminal in a wireless communications system comprising:

using a 10 digit MIN identifier for identifying the mobile terminal in all messages requiring a mobile terminal identifier sent from the MSC to the mobile terminal;

using a 15 digit MIN-based IMSI identifier for identifying the mobile terminal in all messages requiring a mobile terminal identifier sent from the mobile terminal to the MSC, wherein the 15 digit MIN-based IMSI includes a 5 digit MIN Escape Code (MEC) and the MIN;

collecting 5 digit MECs programmed in mobile terminals communicating directly with their home systems;

collecting 5 digit MEC programmed in mobile terminals visiting visited systems;

comparing the collected MECs with the MECs stored in the system;

determining which collected MECs are incorrect;

determining which mobile terminals have incorrect MECs; and

correcting the MECs for mobile terminals having incorrect MECs.