Method for allowing access to services offered by an intelligent mobile communications network

• US 20100062762A1
• Filed: 04/26/2005
• Published: 03/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telecom Italia S.p.A.
• Original Assignee: Telecom Italia S.p.A.
• Inventors: Pellicica, Pier Camillo, Muratore, Giuliano
• Granted Patent: US 8,238,904 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/432.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 Provisions for signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0045 involving hybrid, i.e. a mixture of public and private, or multi-vendor systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

A method of making network services available to a subscriber of a first mobile communications network when the subscriber roams in a second mobile communications network. The method includes: intercepting a signaling message issued by a service switching function of the second mobile communications network as a consequence to a service request by the subscriber; checking the intercepted signaling message; and based on the check, updating the intercepted signaling message so as to include service addressing data adapted to invoke a service in the first mobile communications network.

Claims

1-19. -19. (canceled)

20. A method of making network services available to a subscriber of a first mobile communications network when the subscriber roams in a second mobile communications network, comprising:

intercepting a signaling message issued by a service switching function of the second mobile communications network as a consequence to a service request by the subscriber;

checking the intercepted signaling message; and

based on a result of the check, updating the intercepted signaling message to include service addressing data adapted to invoke a service in the first mobile communications network.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein said service addressing data comprise an address of a service control function in the first mobile communications network adapted to implement said service.

22. The method according to claim 20, wherein said service addressing data comprise a service key identifying said service.

23. The method according to claim 20, wherein said signaling message comprises a customized application for mobile network enhanced logic application protocol initial data protocol signaling message issued by the second mobile communications network to the first mobile communications network.

24. The method according to claim 20, wherein said checking the intercepted signaling message comprises ascertaining a presence in the signaling message of a service code associated with said service.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein said checking the intercepted signaling message further comprises comparing the service code with a predefined list of service codes.

26. The method according to claim 23, wherein said checking the intercepted signaling message comprises checking a field of the customized application for mobile network enhanced logic application protocol initial data protocol signaling message adapted to carry a telephony number associated with said service request.

27. The method according to claim 21, wherein said updating the service addressing data comprises replacing at least one among an address of a service control function and a service key included in the intercepted message.

28. The method according to claim 20, wherein said network services comprise intelligent network services.

29. A mobile communications network comprising network apparatuses adapted to make network services available to a subscriber of the mobile communications network when the subscriber roams in a visited mobile communications network,

wherein the network apparatuses comprise a service addressing function comprising:

a signaling message interceptor adapted to intercept a signaling message issued by a service switching function of the visited mobile communications network as a consequence to a service request by the subscriber;

a signaling message parser adapted to check the intercepted signaling message; and

a signaling message modifier adapted to update the intercepted signaling message based on a result of the signaling message check, so that the updated message comprises service addressing data address for invoking a service in the mobile communications network.

30. The mobile communications network according to claim 29, wherein said service addressing data comprise an address of a service control function in the mobile communications network.

31. The mobile communications network according to claim 30, wherein said service addressing data comprise a service key identifying said service.

32. The mobile communications network according to claim 29, wherein said signaling message comprises a customized application for mobile network enhanced logic application protocol initial data protocol signaling message issued by the visited mobile communications network to the mobile communications network.

33. The mobile communications network according to claim 29, wherein said signaling message parser is adapted to ascertain a presence in the signaling message of a service code associated with said service.

34. The mobile communications network according to claim 33, wherein said signaling message parser is adapted to compare the service code with a predefined list of service codes.

35. The mobile communications network according to claim 32, wherein said signaling message parser is adapted to check a field of the customized application for mobile network enhanced logic application protocol initial data protocol signaling message carrying a telephony number associated with said service request.

36. The mobile communications network according to claim 30, wherein said signaling message modifier is adapted to replace at least one among an address of a service control function and a service key in the intercepted message.

37. The mobile communications network according to claim 29, wherein said network services comprise intelligent network services.

38. An apparatus for use in a mobile communications network, comprising:

a signaling message interceptor adapted to intercept a signaling message received by the mobile communications network, and issued from a service switching function of a visited mobile communications network in which a subscriber of the mobile communications network is roaming as a consequence to a service request by the subscriber;

a signaling message parser adapted to check the intercepted signaling message; and

a signaling message modifier adapted to update the intercepted signaling message based on a result of the signaling message check, so that the updated signaling message comprises service addressing data address for invoking a service in the mobile communications network.