Changing a first subscriber identifier to a second identifier

• US 20070066303A1
• Filed: 08/28/2006
• Published: 03/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures I LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Data Advisors LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Ala-Luukko, Sami
• Granted Patent: US 8,050,274 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/436
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

The invention relates to telecommunications systems, in which a subscriber is identified in a network with a first identifier and with a second identifier in a server providing services to the subscriber through the network. In the invention the first identifier is changed (3-3) in a message to be transferred to the server to a second identifier before transferring the message to the server. Thus the message received from the network can be associated with a particular subscriber in the server.

Claims

1-19. -19. (canceled)

20. A method adapted for use in a mobile communication network, the method comprising:

receiving a request from a service node identifying a subscriber, said request including at least a Mobile Subscriber International ISDN number (MSISDN) associated with said subscriber;

sending a routing request message within said mobile communication network, said routing request message including at least said MSISDN associated with said subscriber;

receiving a response to said routing request message, said response including at least an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) number associated with said subscriber; and

storing said IMSI and MSISDN as a telephone number identifier pair associated with said subscriber.

21. The method of claim 20, and further comprising:

acknowledging receipt of said request to said service node.

22. The method of claim 20, and further comprising:

receiving a first message including at least said IMSI associated with said subscriber;

generating a second message by replacing, within said first message, said IMSI with said MSISDN included in said telephone number identifier pair; and

sending said second message to said service node.

23. The method of claim 22, and further comprising:

acknowledging receipt of said first message.

24. The method of claim 20, and further comprising:

receiving a first message including at least said IMSI associated with said subscriber;

generating, in response to said first message comprising a predetermined message,a second message by replacing, within said first message, said IMSI with said MSISDN included in said telephone number subscriber pair; and

sending said second message to said service node.

25. The method of claim 24, and further comprising forwarding said first message in response to said first message not comprising said predetermined message.

26. A method adapted for use in a wireless communication network, said method comprising:

storing at least a first telephone number identifier pair, the at least first telephone number identifier pair including a Mobile Subscriber International ISDN number (MSISDN) associated with a subscriber and an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) number associated with said subscriber;

receiving a first message including at least a first IMSI associated with a first subscriber;

supplying, in response to said first IMSI being stored in said at least one telephone number identifier pair, a first MSISDN associated with said first IMSI in said at least one telephone number identifier pair;

sending, in response to said first IMSI not being stored in said at least one telephone number identifier pair, a routing request message within said mobile communication network, said routing request message including said first IMSI;

receiving a response to said routing request message, said response including at least a first MSISDN associated with said first subscriber; and

generating a second message by replacing, within said first message, said IMSI with said MSISDN included in said telephone number subscriber pair; and

sending said second message to said service node.

27. The method of claim 26, and further comprising:

acknowledging receipt of said first message.

28. The method of claim 26, and further comprising:

in response to receiving said response to said routing request message, storing at least a second telephone number identifier pair, the at least second pair including said first MSISDN and said first IMSI, both being associated with said first subscriber.