Method and apparatus for concurrent registration of voice and data subscribers

• US 20080070555A1
• Filed: 09/15/2006
• Published: 03/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Sharma, Alok
• Granted Patent: US 8,306,529 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0892 by using authentication-authorization-accounting [AAA] servers or protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/12 between location registers or mobility servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

This invention provides an innovative way of providing voice and data registration of multimode (voice and data) handset subscribers at a common place. The unified subscriber data server provides a flexible mechanism to provide concurrent registration for voice and data on the same platform, to store the subscription data (for voice and data subscribers) at a common place, and to perform call-processing either on the same box where the data is stored.

Claims

1. A multimode mobile station registration method comprising:

receiving an authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) query from an external server at a RADIUS server process on a unified subscriber data server control function platform;

forwarding the AAA query to a AAA control function application on the control function platform;

requesting data relating to the AAA query from a data function application on a unified subscriber data server data function platform;

receiving data relating to the AAA query from the data function application;

returning a response to the AAA query to the RADIUS server process;

forwarding the response to the AAA query to the external server.

2. The method defined in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a mobile application part (MAP) request from a serving mobile switching center/visiting location register (MSC/VLR) at the control function platform;

forwarding the MAP request to a home location register (HLR) control function application on the control function platform;

requesting data relating to the MAP request from the data function application on the data function platform;

receiving data relating to the MAP request from the data function application; and

returning a response to the MAP request to the serving MSC/VLR.

3. An apparatus for registration of a multimode mobile station, the apparatus comprising:

a unified subscriber data server control function platform including a RADIUS server process, a RADIUS server platform monitor process, and a RADIUS control function application; and

a unified subscriber data server data function platform including a data function application and a database.

4. The apparatus defined in claim 3, wherein the unified subscriber data server control function platform further includes a home location register control function application.

5. The apparatus defined in claim 3, wherein the unified subscriber data server control function platform further includes a RADIUS server management tool.

6. The apparatus defined in claim 3, wherein the RADIUS server process further includes a NavisRADIUS proxy application and is configured to write log files on the unified subscriber data server control function platform.

7. The apparatus defined in claim 3, wherein the data base comprises a TimesTen In-Memory Database.

8. The apparatus defined in claim 3, wherein the RADIUS monitor process is configured to heartbeat with the RADIUS server process at regular intervals to check the health of the RADIUS server process.

9. The apparatus defined in claim 8, wherein the unified subscriber data server control function platform further includes a home location register control function application and a RADIUS server management tool.

10. The apparatus defined in claim 9, wherein the RADIUS server process further includes a NavisRADIUS proxy application and is configured to write log files on the unified subscriber data server control function platform.

11. The apparatus defined in claim 10, wherein the data base comprises a TimesTen In-Memory Database.