Dynamically created A-interface within a mobile network

• US 5,905,952 A
• Filed: 11/18/1996
• Issued: 05/18/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Joensuu, Erkki, Coyne, Michael, Valentine, Eric, Peltonen, Ari
• Primary Examiner(s): WOLFE JR, WILLIS RAY
• Application Number:
  US08/749,627
• Time in Patent Office: 911 Days
• Field of Search: 455/427, 455/428, 455/432, 455/433, 455/445
• US Class Current: 455/433
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/14 between access point controllers and backbone network device

Abstract

A call is originated from a mobile station being served by a visited mobile switching center (MSC) and associated with a particular MSC as a home MSC. A base station subsystem (BSS) connected to the visited MSC dynamically establishes an A-interface with an application module within the home MSC transparently through the visited MSC. Thereinafter, all subscriber transmitted data are routed from the serving BSS to the home MSC. The application module within the home MSC then processes the data to provide mobile service to the mobile station.

Claims

1. A method for delivering data from a mobile station to a destination telecommunications terminal within a telecommunications network, said mobile station being served by a first base station subsystem (BSS) and a first mobile switching center (MSC) and said mobile station being associated with a second MSC as a home MSC, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving data transmitted by said mobile station at said first BSS;

routing said received data from said first BSS to an application module within said second MSC transparently through said first MSC;

recognizing said data at said application module within said second MSC;

routing said data from said second MSC to said destination telecommunications terminal by establishing a call connection from said second MSC to said destination telecommunications terminal.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of dynamically establishing an A-interface between said first BSS and said application module within said second MSC transparently through said first MSC.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising the initial step of said mobile station communicating with said second MSC, said step of communicating comprising the steps of:

transmitting an address representing said second MSC from said mobile station to said first BSS;

sending a signal indicating said mobile station'"'"'s current location from said first BSS to said second MSC; and

updating, by said second MSC, a home location register (HLR) serving said mobile station with said current location.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said step of sending said signal indicating said current location further comprises the step of sending a location update signal from said first BSS to said second MSC.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said location update signal comprises a Signal Connection Control Part (SCCP) based signal transmitted over an existing Signaling System No. 7 (SS7) telecommunications network connecting said first BSS to said second MSC.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein said step of transmitting said address representing said second MSC from said mobile station further comprises the initial step of retrieving said address from a subscriber identity module (SIM) attached to said mobile station.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein said address representing said second MSC includes an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) number associated with said mobile station.

8. The method of claim 3 wherein said address presenting said second MSC includes a network address assigned to said second MSC.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of routing said received data from said first BSS to said second MSC further comprises the step of transmitting said data over a dedicated link directly connecting said first MSC with said second MSC.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said dedicated link comprises a Multiplexed Coded (MCD) E-1 link.

11. A method for communicating data between a base station controller (BSS) serving a mobile station and a mobile switching center (MSC) designated by said mobile station within a mobile telecommunications system, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving an identification number at said BSS identifying said MSC from said mobile station;

transmitting a signal from said BSS towards said MSC by using said received identification number as a destination address;

receiving said signal at said MSC; and

processing said signal at said MSC to provide mobile service to said mobile station.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said identification number includes an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) number associated with said mobile station.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein said identification number includes a network address associated with said MSC.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein said step of transmitting said signal from said BSS to said MSC comprises the step of transmitting a Direct Transfer Application Part (DTAP) based signal performing a location update.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising the steps of:

receiving a request at said BSS to originate a call connection from said mobile station;

forwarding said request to originate said call connection from said BSS to said MSC;

determining a called party associated with said request by said MSC; and

establishing a call connection towards said called party by originating a call setup request to a connected Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) by said MSC.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said BSS is directly connected to a visited MSC and wherein said step of forwarding said request from said BSS to said MSC further comprises the step of forwarding said request over a dedicated link connecting said visited MSC with said MSC.

17. A system for delivering data from a mobile station to a destination telecommunications terminal within a telecommunications network, said mobile station being served by a first base station subsystem (BSS) and a first mobile switching center (MSC) and said mobile station being associated with a second MSC as a home MSC, said system comprising:

an application module within said second MSC for providing mobile service to said mobile station;

means for receiving data transmitted by said mobile station at said first BSS;

means for routing said received data from said first BSS to said application module within said second MSC transparently through said first MSC;

means for recognizing said data at said application module within said second MSC;

means for routing said data from said second MSC to said destination telecommunications terminal.

18. The system of claim 17 further comprises means for dynamically establishing an A-interface between said first BSS and said second MSC transparently through said first MSC.

19. The system of claim 18 further comprising means for communicating data from said mobile station to said second MSC, said means for communicating further comprises:

means for transmitting an address representing said second MSC from said mobile station to said first BSS;

means for sending a signal indicating said mobile station'"'"'s current location from said first BSS to said second MSC; and

means for updating, by said second MSC, a home location register (HLR) serving said mobile station with said current location.

20. The system of claim 19 herein said means for sending said signal further comprises means for sending a location update signal from said first BSS to said second MSC.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein said location update signal comprises a Signal Connection Control Part (SCCP) based signal transmitted over an existing Signaling System No. 7 (SS7) telecommunications network connecting said first BSS to said second MSC.

22. The system of claim 19 wherein said means for transmitting said address representing said second MSC from said mobile station further comprises means for retrieving said address from a subscriber identity module (SIM) attached to said mobile station.

23. The system of claim 19 wherein said address representing said second MSC includes an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) number associated with said mobile station.

24. The system of claim 19 wherein said address presenting said second MSC includes a network address assigned to said second MSC.

25. The system of claim 17 further comprising a dedicated link connecting said first MSC with said second MSC and wherein said means for routing said received data from said first BSS to said second MSC further comprises means for transmitting said data over said dedicated link.

26. A method for establishing a call connection from a mobile station to a destination terminal within a telecommunications network, said mobile station being served by a first base station subsystem (BSS) and a first mobile switching center (MSC) and associated with a second MSC as a home MSC, said method comprising the steps of

receiving a request from said mobile station at said first BSS to establishing a call connection towards a called party terminal;

establishing a first call connection from said first BSS to said second MSC transparently through said first MSC without analyzing an address associated with said called party terminal;

analyzing said address associated with said called party terminal by said second MSC; and

establishing a second call connection from said second MSC to said called party terminal by transmitting a call setup request by said second MSC.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein said first BSS is located in one geographic area and said second MSC is located in another geographic area and said first MSC and said second MSC are connected via a dedicated link.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein said dedicated link comprises a Multiplex coded (MCD) E-1 link.

29. The method of claim 26 further comprising the steps of:

receiving an identification number representing said second MSC from said mobile station at said first BSS;

communicating a location information associated with said mobile station by transmitting a signal using said received identification number as a destination address by said first BSS;

receiving said location information by said second MSC; and

performing a location update with a home location register associated with said mobile station by said second MSC.