Telecommunications Services Apparatus and Methods

• US 20080004047A1
• Filed: 03/18/2005
• Published: 01/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Solent Text Limited
• Original Assignee: Telsis Holdings Limited (Gamma Communications Plc)
• Inventors: Hill, Tony, Wilson, Jeffrey
• Granted Patent: US 7,797,003 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• 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 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 telecommunications services apparatus, in a mobile telecommunications network, comprises means (2) for receiving a MAP Send Routing Information for Short Message (SRI_SM message) originating from another network and operate to forward the SRI_SM message to a home location register (4), means for receiving a response from the home location register (4) to the SRI_SM message, means for temporarily storing information relating to the SRI_SM response and operable to pass said response on to a network address identified as the originating address, and means for receiving a MAP Mobile Terminated Forward Short Message (MT_Fwd_SM message) from the other network and operable to correlate the MT_Fwd_SM message with a previously-sent SRI_SM response using stored information. The apparatus is operable to detect and selectively reject MT_Fwd_SM messages for which there is at least insufficient correlation between the MT_Fwd_SM message and the previously-sent SRI_SM response, and to pass other MT_Fwd_SM messages on to their respective destinations. The apparatus may include means for modifying IMSI information in the SRI_SM response, which may be operable to store information relating to the modified SRI_SM response and operable to pass the modified response on to the originating address network. In that case, the correlation determination may be made between the MT_Fwd_SM message and a previously-sent modified SRI_SM response.

Claims

1. A telecommunications services apparatus for use with a mobile telecommunications network, the apparatus comprising means for receiving a MAP Send Routing Information for Short Message (SRI_SM message) originating from another network and operable to forward the SRI_SM message to a home location register, means for receiving a response from the home location register to the SRI_SM message, means for temporarily storing information relating to the SRI_SM response and operable to pass said response on to a network address identified as the originating address, means for receiving a MAP Mobile Terminated Forward Short Message (MT_Fwd_SM message) from said another network and operable to correlate the MT_Fwd_SM message with a previously-sent SRI_SM response using stored information, the apparatus being operable to detect and selectively reject MT_Fwd_SM messages for which there is at least insufficient correlation between the MT_Fwd_SM message and the previously-sent SRI_SM response, and to pass other MT_Fwd_SM messages on to their respective destinations.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, including means for modifying IMSI information in the SRI_SM response.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said means for temporarily storing information is operable to store information relating to said modified SRI_SM response and operable to pass said modified response on to the originating address network.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the correlation determination is made between the MT_Fwd_SM message and a previously-sent modified SRI_SM response.

5. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the IMSI modifying means is operable to replace the visitor location register address in the SRI_SM response, the means for temporarily storing information is operable additionally to store the original visitor location register address, and the destination address is replaced by the stored original visitor location register address before being passed on to the respective destination.

7. A method according to claim 1, including modifying IMSI information in the SRI_SM response.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein said step of temporarily storing information is operable to store information relating to said modified SRI_SM response and operable to pass said modified response on to the originating address network.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the correlation determination is made between the MT_Fwd_SM message and a previously-sent modified SRI_SM response.

10. A method according to claim 7, wherein the IMSI modifying step is operable to replace the visitor location register address in the SRIJSM response, the step of temporarily storing information is operable additionally to store the original visitor location register address, and the destination address is replaced by the stored original visitor location register address before being passed on to the respective destination.

6. A telecommunications services method for use with a mobile telecommunications network, the method comprising receiving a MAP Send Routing Information for Short Message (SRI_SM message) originating from another network and forwarding the SRI_SM message to a home location register, receiving a response from the home location register to the SRI_SM message, temporarily storing information relating to the SRI_SM response and passing said response on to a network address identified as the originating address, receiving a MAP Mobile Terminated Forward Short Message (MT_Fwd_SM message) from said another network and correlating the MT_Fwd_SM message with a previously-sent SRI_SM response using stored information, detecting and selectively rejecting MT_Fwd_SM messages for which there is at least insufficient correlation between the MT_Fwd_SM message and the previously-sent SRI_SM response, and passing other MT_Fwd_SM messages on to their respective destinations.

11. A computer program for implementing a method according to claim 6.

12. A storage medium storing a computer program according to claim 11.