Method and system for providing roaming services to inbound roamers using visited network gateway location register

• US 20080125116A1
• Filed: 11/05/2007
• Published: 05/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mobileum, Incorporated fka Roamware
• Original Assignee: Mobileum, Incorporated fka Roamware
• Inventors: Jiang, John Yue Jun
• Granted Patent: US 8,121,594 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/433
• 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 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/06 Registration at serving network Location Register, VLR or user mobility server
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/12 between location registers or mobility servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for providing roaming services to one or more subscribers, correspondingly associated with the one or more HPMNs, while the one or more subscribers are registered with the VPMN. The method includes allocating a pool of GTs to a Gateway Location Register (GLR) that is associated with the VPMN, where the pool of Global Titles (GTs) corresponds to at least one of: one or more VLRs associated with the VPMN, one or more SGSNs associated with the VPMN, one or more HPMNs, and one or more HLRs associated with an HPMN from the one or more HPMNs. The method further includes facilitating mobile communication of the one or more subscribers in the VPMN using the allocated pool of GTs.

Claims

1. A method for providing roaming services to one or more subscribers associated with a Home Public Mobile Network (HPMN) the one or more subscribers being registered with a Visited Public Mobile Network (VPMN), the HPMN having one or more Home Location Registers (HLRs), the VPMN having one or more associated Serving General Packet Radio System (GPRS) Support Nodes (SGSNs), one or more associated Visited Location Registers (VLRs) and an associated Gateway Location Register (GLR), the method comprising:

allocating a pool of Global Titles (GTs), the pool of GTs including a plurality of GTs, to the GLR, the pool of GTs corresponding to at least one selected from the group consisting of one or more of the VLRs, one or more of the SGSNs, one or more of the HPMNs, and one or more of the HLRs; and

facilitating, via the GLR, a mobile communication of the one or more subscribers;

wherein more than one selected from the plurality of GTs from the pool of GTs is allocated to the GLR; and

wherein the GLR communicates with each one of the one or more VLRs via a different one selected from the plurality of the GTs in the pool.

2. The method of claim 1, the VPMN having an associated Signal Transfer Point (STP), wherein the STP is configured to redirect to the GLR signaling messages corresponding to the one or more subscribers.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein, upon detecting a failure of the GLR, the STP is configured to route the signaling messages to a corresponding VLR of one of the one or more subscribers associated with the HPMN.

4. The method of claim 1, each of the one or more HLRs having at least one associated subscriber of the one or more associated subscribers, wherein a RESET of one of the one or more HLRs affects mobile communications of the one or more subscribers associated with the one HLR.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the GLR is coupled to a plug-in module that facilitates exchange of signaling messages between the GLR and the HPMN, and between the GLR and the VPMN, by applying application logic to the signaling messages.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein applying the application logic includes one selected from a group consisting of:

modifying an update message to send a VPMN Mobile Station International Subscriber Directory Number (MSISDN), instead of an HPMN MSISDN to the VPMN;

modifying a signaling message to send an HPMN International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), instead of a VPMN IMSI to the HPMN;

modifying a call barring parameter from the update message prior to sending the update message to the VPMN;

sending a modified Forward-To Number (FTN) associated with the HPMN in the update message to the VPMN to control late call forwarding;

caching profile information of the one or more subscribers based on pre-defined criteria to control distribution of the one or more subscribers'"'"' roaming traffic in a visiting country of the one or more subscribers;

detecting a Steering of Roaming (SoR) attempt from the HPMN;

thwarting at least one of the SoR attempt from the HPMN and an inbound SoR attempt by a competitor VPMN, by sending a first set of signaling messages to the HPMN when one of the one or more subscribers attempts to register at the VPMN;

retaining the one of the one or more subscribers at the VPMN despite the attempt of the subscriber to register at the competitor VPMN, by sending a second set of signaling messages to the HPMN;

restoring the mobile communication of the one of the one or more subscribers upon detecting the handset of the one of the one or more subscribers getting stuck in the VPMN due to an incomplete registration process; and

creating CAMEL Subscription Information (CSI) for the one or more subscribers by responding to one selected from a group consisting of;

a registration message from the VPMN with nested update messages containing the CSI, and a registration response message from the VPMN with a standalone update message containing the CSI.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the GLR is coupled to a module selected from a group consisting of a configurable module and a roaming Signaling System #7 (SS7) node, the selected module configured to respond to selected signaling messages, intended for the HPMN and originating from the VPMN so as to facilitate the mobile communication of a subscriber associated with the HPMN.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the roaming SS7 node stores profile information of the one or more subscribers via one selected from a group consisting of:

monitoring roaming links between the VPMN and the one or more HPMN to retrieve the profile information, and directly retrieving the profile information from the GLR.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the selected signaling messages corresponds to one selected from a group consisting of a Mobile Application Part (MAP)

Send Routing Information (SRI), a MAP Send Routing Information For Short Message (SRI-SM), a MAP Send Routing Information for GPRS (SRI-GPRS), a MAP Send Routing Information For Location Service (SRI-LCS), a MAP Any Time Interrogation (ATI), and a MAP Any Time Subscription Interrogation (ATSI).

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the GLR shares the pool of GTs with a partner VPMN of the VPMN.

11. The method of claim 1, the HPMN having Third Generation of mobile (3G) support, the VPMN having no roaming agreement with the HPMN, wherein the GLR allows one of the one or more subscribers to register with the 3G support at the VPMN.

12. The method of claim 1, the VPMN having no roaming agreement with the HPMN, wherein a set of signaling messages is exchanged between the HPMN and the VPMN, and wherein the GLR modifies the set of signaling messages by removing one or more 3G parameters from the set.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the GLR facilitates General Packet Radio System (GPRS) registration of a subscriber at the VPMN that has no GPRS roaming agreement with the HPMN.

14. The method of claim 1, the VPMN having a competitor VPMN and a Visited Mobile Switching Center (VMSC), the VMSC having an address, a plurality of the one or more subscribers being initially registered with the VPMN, wherein the GLR determines that the competitor VPMN is deploying an add-on SS7 node by:

sending, for a pre-defined interval, one or more routing information query messages corresponding to a plurality of the one or more subscribers, to the HPMN, upon a determination that the plurality of the one or more subscribers are registered with the competitor VPMN; and

detecting a presence of the add-on SS7 node upon a receipt of an identical VMSC address in acknowledgements to routing information query messages.

15. A system for providing roaming services to a subscriber of a Home Public Mobile Network (HPMN), the subscriber being registered with a Visited Public Mobile Network (VPMN), the HPMN having one or more Home Location Registers (HLRs), the VPMN having one or more associated Serving General Packet Radio System (GPRS) Support Nodes (SGSNs), one or more associated Visited Location Registers (VLRs) and an associated Gateway Location Register (GLR), the system comprising:

an allocator for allocating a pool of Global Titles (GTs), the pool of GTs including a plurality of GTs, to the GLR, the pool of GTs corresponding to one selected from a group consisting of the one or more VLRs, the one or more SGSNs, the one or more HPMNs, and the one or more; and

a facilitator for facilitating, via the GLR, a mobile communication of the subscriber;

wherein more than one GT selected from the plurality of GTs is allocated to the GLR; and

wherein the GLR communicates with each one of the one or more VLRs via a different one from the selected one of the plurality of GTs in the pool.

16. The system of claim 15 further comprising:

one module selected from a group consisting of a configurable module and a roaming SS7 node, the selected module being coupled to the GLR for responding to signaling messages, intended for the HPMN and originating from the VPMN.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the GLR shares the pool of GTs with at least one partner VPMN of the VPMN.

18. The system of claim 17, each of the at least one partner VPMN having an associated gateway switching center, the gateway switching center communicating with the GLR via a leased line connection.

19. The system of claim 17, the at least one partner VPMN having an associated add-on SS7 node, the SS7 node communicating with the GLR by exchanging signaling messages using an encapsulation/de-capsulation technique.

20. The system of claim 17, the at least one partner VPMN having an associated roaming STP, the GLR having an associated international Signal Point Code (SPC), wherein the roaming STP communicates with the GLR by redirecting signaling messages corresponding to the subscriber destined for the HPMN, to the international SPC.

21. The system of claim 17, the at least one partner VPMN having an associated roaming STP, the GLR supporting a Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP) and an MTP2 User Peer-to-peer Adaptation Layer (M2PA) protocol, each roaming STP support a Signaling Transport (SIGTRAN), the SCTP and the M2PA protocols wherein one or more of the roaming STPs communicate with the GLR by exchanging signaling messages over an Internet Protocol (IP) network.

22. The system of claim 17, the at least one partner VPMN having an associated roaming STP, the GLR having a pre-defined prefix, the HPMN being an original Called Party Address (CdPA) having an associated GT, wherein the roaming STP communicates with the GLR by configuring the roaming STP to add the pre-defined prefix to the GT of the original CdPA, so as to redirect signaling messages with the prefixed GT to the GLR.

23. The system of claim 17, the at least one partner VPMN having an associated roaming STP, the HPMN being an original Called Party Address (CdPA) having an associated first GT, the GLR having an associated second GT, wherein the roaming STP communicates with the GLR by configuring the roaming STP to replace the first GT with the second GT, so as to redirect signaling messages with the second GT to the GLR.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein one of the at least one partner VPMN is a sponsor VPMN, the sponsor VPMN having a GT and a roaming agreement with the HPMN, wherein the GLR is allocated the GT of the sponsor VPMN, so as to allow the at least one partner VPMN to communicate with the HPMN via the GLR.

25. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium including a computer usable program code stored thereon, for providing roaming services to a subscriber of a Home Public Mobile Network (HPMN), the subscriber being registered with a Visited Public Mobile Network (VPMN), the HPMN having one or more Home Location Registers (HLRs), the VPMN having one or more associated Serving General Packet Radio System (GPRS) Support Nodes (SGSNs), one or more associated Visited Location Registers (VLRs) and an associated Gateway Location Register (GLR), the computer program product comprising:

allocating a pool of Global Titles (GTs), the pool of GTs including a plurality of GTs, to the GLR, the pool of GTs corresponding to at least one selected from the group consisting of one or more of the VLRs, one or more of the SGSNs, one or more of the HPMNs, and one or more of the HLRs; and

facilitating, via the GLR, a mobile communication of the one or more subscribers;

wherein more than one selected from the plurality of GTs from the pool of GTs is allocated to the GLR; and

wherein the GLR communicates with each one of the one or more VLRs via a different one selected from the plurality of the GTs in the pool.

26. A gateway Location register apparatus for providing roaming services to a subscriber of a Home Public Mobile Network (HPMN), the subscriber being registered with a Visited Public Mobile Network (VPMN), the HPMN having one or more Home Location Registers (HLRs), the VPMN having one or more associated Serving General Packet Radio System (GPRS) Support Nodes (SGSNs), one or more associated Visited Location Registers (VLRs) and an associated Gateway Location Register (GLR), the apparatus comprising:

an allocator for allocating a pool of Global Titles (GTs), the pool of GTs including a plurality of GTs, to the GLR, the pool of GTs corresponding to at least one selected from the group consisting of one or more of the VLRs, one or more of the SGSNs, one or more of the HPMNs, and one or more of the HLRs; and

a facilitator for facilitating, via the GLR, a mobile communication of the one or more subscribers;

wherein more than one selected from the plurality of GTs from the pool of GTs is allocated to the GLR; and

wherein the GLR communicates with each one of the one or more VLRs via a different one selected from the plurality of the GTs in the pool.