Signaling gateway with multiple IMSI with multiple MSISDN (MIMM) service in a single SIM for multiple roaming partners

• US 20050070278A1
• Filed: 08/13/2004
• Published: 03/31/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GlobeTouch Inc
• Original Assignee: Mobileum, Incorporated fka Roamware
• Inventors: Jiang, Yue Jun
• Granted Patent: US 7,505,769 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/432.300
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/12 between location registers or mobility servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/18 Service support devices; Network management devices

Abstract

A method and apparatus for mobile communication in multiple mobile communications networks. Embodiments include installing a SIM that includes at least one IMSI and at least one MSISDN in a mobile communications device. The SIM is used to receive and place calls while the user is in the user'"'"'s home network and while the user is roaming in another network. In various embodiments, one of a home MSISDN and a local MSISDN is used.

Claims

1. A method for mobile communication in multiple mobile communications networks, the method comprising:

installing a subscriber identity module (SIM) in a mobile communications device, wherein the SIM includes at least one international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) and at least one mobile subscriber integrated services digital network number (MSISDN); and

facilitating calls received by the user and calls placed by the user using the SIM while in the user'"'"'s home network and while roaming in another network, and further using one of a home MSISDN and a local MSISDN.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the SIM comprises a multiple international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) SIM, wherein each IMSI is associated with a network, and wherein the user uses an IMSI of the network the user is currently in.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the SIM comprises multiple MSISDNs.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

hosting a foreign public mobile network (FPMN) IMSI and a MSISDN allocated to the a home public mobile network (HPMN); and

using HPMN authentication center (AuC) for authenticating the user.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the SIM comprises a single home MSISDN.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising, when the user is roaming in another network, mapping the home MSISDN to a local MSISDN in the other network.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising hosting a FPMN MSISDN allocated to a HPMN.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising facilitating the user registering with a HPMN IMSI.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the SIM further supports multiple local IMSIs and multiple local MSISDNs.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein additional local IMSIs and additional local MSISDNs are added to the SIM via an over-the-air (OTA) interface.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining whether a new home IMSI is needed when the location of the mobile communications device changes.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising facilitating manual selection of an IMSI by the user.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing services to the user in an identical manner whether or not the user is roaming, wherein the services comprise a general packet radio service (GPRS), a unstructured supplementary service data (USSD) service, and a short message service (SMS) service.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising routing USSD messages to a signaling gateway, wherein the signaling gateway acts as a home location register (HLR) of a IMSI of the FPMN (IMSI-F).

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

modifying the USSD messages as necessary; and

relaying the USSD messages from the signaling gateway to a “

real”

HLR, wherein a “

real”

HLR is a HLR of a home network (H LR-H).

16. The method of claim 1, wherein facilitating calls received by the user calls and calls placed by the user comprises using global system for mobile communication (GSM).

17. The method of claim 1, wherein facilitating calls received by the user calls and calls placed by the user comprises using code division multiple access (CDMA).

18. The method of claim 1, wherein facilitating calls received by the user calls and calls placed by the user comprises operating a signaling gateway that functions as a virtual HLR, a virtual visited location register (VLR), a virtual gateway mobile switching center (GMSC), a virtual short message service center (SMSC), and a virtual service node.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising storing roaming information about the user at a FPMN.

20. A signaling gateway system for a mobile communication network, the system comprising:

at least one signaling gateway configured to operate as a SCCP node and a service node, and further configured to host a multiple IMSI, multiple MSISDN (MIMM) service application for multiple roaming partner network operators; and

at least one gateway mobile switching center (GMSC) coupled to the at least one signaling gateway, wherein the at least one GMSC is configured to route MAP messages on subscribers to a MIMM service through the at least one signaling gateway is further configured to,

assign multiple IMSIs to a single subscriber identity module (SIM);

assign at least one mobile subscriber integrated services digital network number (MSISDN) to the SIM; and

facilitate calls received by the user and calls placed by the user using the SIM while in the user'"'"'s home network and while roaming in another network, and further using one of a home MSISDN and a local MSISDN.

21. The signaling gateway system of claim 20, wherein the SIM comprises a multiple international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) SIM, wherein each IMSI is associated with a network, and wherein the user uses an IMSI of the network the user is currently in.

22. The signaling gateway system of claim 21, wherein the SIM comprises multiple MSISDNs.

23. The signaling gateway system of claim 22, wherein the signaling gateway is further configured:

to allocate a foreign public mobile network (FPMN) IMSI and a MSISDN to the a home public mobile network (HPMN); and

use HPMN authentication code (AuC) for authenticating the user.

24. The signaling gateway system of claim 21, wherein the SIM comprises a single home MSISDN.

25. The signaling gateway system of claim 23, wherein the signaling gateway is further configured to map the home MSISDN to a local MSISDN in another network when the user is roaming in the other network.

26. The signaling gateway system of claim 23, wherein the signaling gateway is further configured to allocate a FPMN MSISDN to a HPMN.

27. The signaling gateway system of claim 26, wherein the signaling gateway is further configured to facilitate the user registering with a HPMN IMSI.

28. The signaling gateway system of claim 20, wherein the SIM further supports multiple local IMSIs and multiple local MSISDNs.

29. The signaling gateway system of claim 28, wherein the signaling gateway is further configured to add additional local IMSIs and additional local MSISDNs to the SIM via an over-the-air (OTA) interface.

30. The signaling gateway system of claim 29, wherein the signaling gateway is further configured to determine whether a new home IMSI is needed when the location of the mobile communications device changes.

31. The signaling gateway system of claim 28, wherein the signaling gateway is further configured to facilitate manual selection of an IMSI by the user.

32. The signaling gateway system of claim 20, wherein the signaling gateway is further configured to provide services to the user in an identical manner whether or not the user is roaming, wherein the services comprise a general packet radio service (GPRS), a unstructured supplementary service data (USSD) service, and a short message service (SMS) service.

33. The signaling gateway system of claim 32, further comprising routing USSD messages to a signaling gateway, wherein the signaling gateway acts as a home location register (HLR) of a IMSI of the FPMN (IMSI-F).

34. The signaling gateway system of claim 33, wherein the signaling gateway is further configured to:

modify the USSD messages as necessary; and

relay the USSD messages from the signaling gateway to a “

real”

HLR, wherein a “

real”

HLR is a HLR of a home network (HLR-H).

35. The signaling gateway system of claim 20, wherein facilitating calls received by the user and calls placed by the user comprises using global system for mobile communication (GSM).

36. The signaling gateway system of claim 20, wherein facilitating calls received by the user and calls placed by the user comprises using code division multiple access (CDMA).

37. The signaling gateway system of claim 20, wherein facilitating calls received by the user calls and calls placed by the user comprises operating a signaling gateway that functions as a virtual HLR, a virtual visited location register (VLR), a virtual gateway mobile switching center (GMSC), a virtual short message service center (SMSC), and a virtual service node.

38. The signaling gateway system of claim 37, wherein the signaling gateway is further configured to store roaming information about the user at a FPMN.39. The signaling gateway system of claim 20, wherein at least one GMSC is coupled to the at least one signaling gateway via a SS7 node.

39. The signaling gateway system of claim 20, wherein at least one GMSC is coupled to the at least one signaling gateway via a SS7 node.

40. The signaling gateway system of claim 20, wherein the at least one signaling gateway comprises:

a HLR;

a VLR;

a SMSC;

a VMSC; and

a GMSC.

41. The signaling gateway system of claim 20, wherein the at least one signaling gateway further comprises:

a global title (GT) transformation element;

a message application part (MAP) message transformation element;

a MAP server element; and

a ISDN user part (ISUP) server element, wherein the at least one signaling gateway.

42. A computer readable medium having instruction stored thereon which, when executed, cause at least one processor in at least one mobile communication network to:

install a subscriber identity module (SIM) in a mobile communications device, wherein the SIM includes at least one international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) and at least one mobile subscriber integrated services digital network number (MSISDN); and

facilitate calls received by the user and calls placed by the user using the SIM while in the user'"'"'s home network and while roaming in another network, and further using one of a home MSISDN and a local MSISDN.

43. The computer readable medium of claim 42, wherein the SIM comprises a multiple international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) SIM, wherein each IMSI is associated with a network, and wherein the user uses an IMSI of the network the user is currently in.

44. The computer readable medium of claim 43, wherein the SIM comprises multiple MSISDNs.

45. The computer readable medium of claim 44, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause at least one processor in at least one mobile communication network to:

host a foreign public mobile network (FPMN) IMSI and a MSISDN allocated to the a home public mobile network (HPMN); and

use HPMN authentication center (AuC) for authenticating the user.

46. The computer readable medium of claim 43, wherein the SIM comprises a single home MSISDN.

47. The computer readable medium of claim 45, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause at least one processor in at least one mobile communication network to map the home MSISDN to a local MSISDN in another network when the user is roaming in the other network.

48. The computer readable medium of claim 45, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause at least one processor in at least one mobile communication network to host a FPMN MSISDN allocated to a HPMN.

49. The computer readable medium of claim 48, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause at least one processor in at least one mobile communication network to facilitate the user registering with a HPMN IMSI.

50. The computer readable medium of claim 42, wherein the SIM further supports multiple local IMSIs and multiple local MSISDNs.

51. The computer readable medium of claim 50, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause at least one processor in at least one mobile communication network to add additional local IMSIs and additional local MSISDNs to the SIM via an over-the-air (OTA) interface.

52. The computer readable medium of claim 51, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause at least one processor in at least one mobile communication network to determine whether a new home IMSI is needed when the location of the mobile communications device changes.

53. The computer readable medium of claim 50, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause at least one processor in at least one mobile communication network to facilitate manual selection of an IMSI by the user.

54. The computer readable medium of claim 42, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause at least one processor in at least one mobile communication network to provide services to the user in an identical manner whether or not the user is roaming, wherein the services comprise a general packet radio service (GPRS), a unstructured supplementary service data (USSD) service, and a short message service (SMS) service.

55. The computer readable medium of claim 54, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause at least one processor in at least one mobile communication network to route USSD messages to a signaling gateway, wherein the signaling gateway acts as a home location register (HLR) of a IMSI of the FPMN (IMSI-F).

56. The computer readable medium of claim 55, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause at least one processor in at least one mobile communication network to:

modify the USSD messages as necessary; and

relay the USSD messages from the signaling gateway to a “

real”

HLR, wherein a “

real”

HLR is a HLR of a home network (HLR-H).

57. The computer readable medium of claim 42, wherein facilitating calls received by the user calls and calls placed by the user comprises using global system for mobile communication (GSM).

58. The computer readable medium of claim 42 wherein facilitating calls received by the user calls and calls placed by the user comprises using code division multiple access (CDMA).

59. The computer readable medium of claim 42, wherein facilitating calls received by the user calls and calls placed by the user comprises operating a signaling gateway that functions as a virtual HLR, a virtual visited location register (VLR), a virtual gateway mobile switching center (GMSC), a virtual short message service center (SMSC), and a virtual service node.

60. The computer readable medium of claim 59, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause at least one processor in at least one mobile communication network to store roaming information about the user at a FPMN.