Caller line identification in mobile number portability

• US 20070191011A1
• Filed: 01/31/2007
• Published: 08/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mobileum, Incorporated fka Roamware
• Original Assignee: Mobileum, Incorporated fka Roamware
• Inventors: Jiang, John
• Application Number:
  US11/700,256
• Publication Number:
  US 20070191011A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/436
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/654 International mobile subscriber identity [IMSI] numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2596 Translation of addresses of the same type other than IP, e.g. translation from MAC to MAC addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/06 Recording class or number of calling , i.e. A-party or called party , i.e. B-party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8038 Roaming or handoff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42297 with number portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/12 between location registers or mobility servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/265 for initial activation of new user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/28 Number portability ; Network address portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/16 Interfaces between hierarchically similar devices

Abstract

A system, method, and computer product are provided for facilitating mobile number portability. The method includes receiving a registration message at a signaling gateway (SG) for an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) associated with a subscriber ported-in in a first network. The method further includes replacing at the SG, a first Mobile Station International Subscriber Directory Number (MSISDN) with an original MSISDN in a registration response message sent upon receipt of the registration message.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating mobile number portability, the method comprising:

receiving a registration message at a signaling gateway (SG) for an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) associated with a subscriber, the subscriber being ported-in in a first network and having an original Mobile Station International Subscriber Directory Number (MSISDN) associated with an original network;

assigning a first (MSISDN) associated with the first network to the subscriber;

replacing the first MSISDN with the original MSISDN; and

sending, in response to the registration message, a registration response message containing the original MSISDN.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the IMSI corresponds to a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) allocated to the subscriber in the first network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the subscriber is ported-out of the original network to the first network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the registration message is selected from a group consisting of a Location Update (LUP) message and a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) LUP message.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the registration response message is an Insert Subscriber Data (ISD) message.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the subscriber is attempting to register with a second network, the method further comprising:

redirecting the registration message received from the second network to the SG.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein redirecting the registration message further comprises:

receiving signaling from the subscriber, the signaling indicating a destination address; and

replacing, at a Signaling Transfer Point (STP) in the first network, the destination address with an address of the SG.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the subscriber is associated with a second network.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the SG has an address, further comprising:

modifying, at the SG, one or more location addresses in the registration message received from the second network with the address of the SG.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

relaying the registration message via the SG to a first Home Location Register (HLR) in the first network.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first MSISDN is assigned at a first HLR in the first network.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

at the SG, maintaining a profile for the subscriber, the profile corresponding to the first HLR.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transferring, at the SG, the registration response message with the original MSISDN to a second network.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the registration response message is transferred to one selected from a group consisting of a VLR, a VMSC and a SGSN, each of which is associated with the second network.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

at the SG, maintaining a mapping between the first MSISDN and the original MSISDN.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the SG has an address, the method further comprising:

including a roaming identifier in the address of the SG, the roaming identifier being useable for exchanging signaling between the SG and the first network, while the subscriber is roaming in a second network.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the SG has an address, the method further comprising:

including a non-roaming identifier in the address of the SG, the non-roaming identifier being useable for exchanging signaling between the SG and the first network, while the subscriber is present in the first network.

18. A system for facilitating mobile number portability, the system comprising:

means for receiving a registration message at a signaling gateway (SG) for an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) associated with a subscriber, the subscriber being ported-in in a first network and having an original Mobile Station International Subscriber Directory Number (MSISDN) associated with an original network;

means for assigning a first (MSISDN) associated with the first network to the subscriber;

means for replacing the first MSISDN with the original MSISDN; and

means for sending, in response to the registration message, a registration response message containing the original MSISDN.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the IMSI corresponds to a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) allocated to the subscriber in the first network.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the subscriber is ported-out of the original network to the first network.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the registration message is selected from a group consisting of a Location Update (LUP) message and a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) LUP message.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the registration response message is an Insert Subscriber Data (ISD) message.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the subscriber is attempting to register with a second network, the system further comprising:

means for redirecting the registration message received from the second network to the SG.

24. The system of claim 18, wherein the subscriber is associated with a second network.

25. The system of claim 18, wherein the first MSISDN is assigned at a first HLR in the first network.

26. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

means for transferring, at the SG, the registration response message with the original MSISDN to a second network.

27. The system of claim 18, wherein the SG has an address, the system further comprising:

means for including a roaming identifier in the address of the SG, the roaming identifier being useable for exchanging signaling between the SG and the first network, while the subscriber is roaming in a second network.

28. The system of claim 18, wherein the SG has an address, the system further comprising:

means for including a non-roaming identifier in the address of the SG, the non-roaming identifier being useable for exchanging signaling between the SG and the first network, while the subscriber is present in the first network.

29. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having control logic stored therein for causing a computer to perform mobile communications, the control logic comprising computer readable program code means for:

receiving a registration message at a signaling gateway (SG) for an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) associated with a subscriber, the subscriber being ported-in in a first network and having an original Mobile Station International Subscriber Directory Number (MSISDN) associated with an original network;

assigning a first (MSISDN) associated with the first network to the subscriber;

replacing the first MSISDN with the original MSISDN; and

sending, in response to the registration message, a registration response message containing the original MSISDN.

30. The computer program product of claim 29, wherein the IMSI corresponds to a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) allocated to the subscriber in the first network.

31. The computer program product of claim 29, wherein the subscriber is ported-out of the original network to the first network.

32. The computer program product of claim 29, wherein the registration message is selected from a group consisting of a Location Update (LUP) message and a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) LUP message.

33. The computer program product of claim 29, wherein the registration response message is an Insert Subscriber Data (ISD) message.

34. The computer program product of claim 29, wherein the subscriber is attempting to register with a second network, the control logic further comprising computer readable program code means for:

redirecting the registration message received from the second network to the SG.

35. The computer program product of claim 29, wherein the subscriber is associated with a second network.

36. The computer program product of claim 29, wherein the first MSISDN is assigned at a first HLR in the first network.

37. The computer program product of claim 29, the control logic further comprising computer readable program code means for:

transferring, at the SG, the registration response message with the original MSISDN to a second network.

38. The computer program product of claim 37, wherein the registration response message is transferred to one selected from a group consisting of a VLR, a VMSC and a SGSN, each of which is associated with the second network.

39. The computer program product of claim 29, the control logic further comprising computer readable program code means for:

at the SG, maintaining a mapping between the first MSISDN and the original MSISDN.

40. The computer program product of claim 29, wherein the SG has an address, the control logic further comprising computer readable program code means for:

including a roaming identifier in the address of the SG, the roaming identifier being useable for exchanging signaling between the SG and the first network, while the subscriber is roaming in a second network.

41. The computer program product of claim 29, wherein the SG has an address, the control logic further comprising computer readable program code means for:

including a non-roaming identifier in the address of the SG, the non-roaming identifier being useable for exchanging signaling between the SG and the first network, while the subscriber is present in the first network.