Signaling gateway system and method

• US 5,933,784 A
• Filed: 06/28/1996
• Issued: 08/03/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Synacom Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Synacom Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Gallagher, Michael D., Lee, Ming J., Grencions, Vilnis G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAUNG, NAY AUNG
• Application Number:
  US08/672,662
• Time in Patent Office: 1,131 Days
• Field of Search: 455/410, 455/411, 455/422, 455/426, 455/432, 455/433, 455/435, 455/436, 455/462, 455/465, 455/552, 455/553, 380/23, 370/338, 370/401, 370/465, 370/466, 370/522, 370/524
• US Class Current: 455/552.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A system and method for enabling two or more communication systems, each supporting a different and possible incompatible signaling protocol, to communicate with each other where the system and method are not located within any of the affected systems and for enabling a mobile station to utilize features supported by the visited system even if its home system does not support the feature. The system of the present invention is a signaling gateway that is coupled to a communications signaling network. or the signaling gateway can be coupled directly to the incompatible systems. Communication signals that are transmitted from a first communication system to a second communication system and transmitted from the second network to the first network are received and transmitted by the signaling gateway. The protocols used by the first and second communication system are not fully compatible in that some (or all) of the signaling commands used by the first communication system do not translate directly into signaling commands understood by the second communication system.

Claims

1. A system for communicating between a first communication system having a first signaling protocol and a second communication system having a second signaling protocol, the first signaling protocol not fully compatible with the second signaling protocol, the system comprising:

a signaling gateway module, disposed to receive signals from, and positioned outside of, the first and second communication systems, including;

a first unit, for receiving a first signal transmitted from the first communication system and directed toward said second communication system, and for generating a first request signal requesting first information in response to said first signal;

a gateway unit, coupled to said first unit, for receiving said first request signal, for determining if said gateway unit includes said first information and if said second communication system includes said first information, for generating a second request signal requesting said first information if said second communication system includes said first information, wherein said first signaling protocol supports a first feature, said second signaling protocol does not support said first feature, said gateway unit further comprising;

a feature unit, for permitting a mobile station having a home location register in the second communication system to utilize said first feature while communicating via the first communication system; and

a second unit, coupled to said gateway unit, for receiving said second request signal, for generating a second signal that is compatible with said second signaling protocol, said second signal including a request for said first information, and for transmitting said second signal to the second communication system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said first unit performs home location register functions for the first communication system.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said second unit performs visited location register functions for the second communication system.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said second unit receives a third signal from the second communication signal and generates a first response signal including said first information.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said gateway unit receives said first response signal, and generates a second response signal having the first information if a fourth signal is to be transmitted to the first communication signal.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said first unit receives said second response signal, generates said fourth signal compatible with the first signaling protocol and transmits said fourth signal to said first communication system.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein a first signaling network is disposed between the first and second communication systems, and is coupled to said signaling gateway module.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said first communication system supports a first authentication feature, said second communication system does not support said first authentication feature, said gateway unit further comprising:

an authentication unit, for permitting a mobile station having a home location register in the second communication system to utilize said first authentication feature while communicating via the first communication system.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said authentication unit includes:

an authentication data module, having mobile station information identified with said first mobile station;

an authentication analysis module, disposed to receive signals from said authentication data module, for determining an first authentication value based upon said mobile station information;

an authentication request module, disposed to receive signals from said first unit, for requesting a second authentication value from said mobile station; and

an authentication validity unit, disposed to receive signals from said authentication analysis module, for determining that said mobile is authentic if said first authentication value is equal to said second authentication value.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said information identified with said first mobile station includes an electronic serial number and an A-key.

11. A system for communicating between a first communication system having a first signaling protocol and a second communication system having a second signaling protocol, the first signaling protocol not fully compatible with the second signaling protocol, the system comprising:

a signaling gateway means, disposed to receive signals from, and positioned outside of, the first and second communication systems, including;

first unit means, for receiving a first signal transmitted from the first communication system and directed toward said second communication system, and for generating a first request signal requesting first information in response to said first signal;

gateway means, coupled to said first unit means, for receiving said first request signal, for determining if said gateway means includes said first information and if said second communication system includes said first information, for generating a second request signal requesting said first information if said second communication system includes said first information, wherein said first signaling protocol supports a first feature, said second signaling protocol does not support said first feature, said gateway means further comprising;

a feature means, for permitting a mobile station having a home location register in the second communication system to utilize said first feature while communicating via the first communication system; and

second unit means, coupled to said gateway means, for receiving said second request signal, for generating a second signal that is compatible with said second signaling protocol, said second signal including a request for said first information, and for transmitting said second signal to the second communication system.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said first unit means performs home location register functions for the first communication system.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein said second unit means performs visted location register functions for the second communication system.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein said second unit means receives a third signal from the second communication signal and generates a first response signal including said first information.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said gateway means recevies said first response signal, and generates a second response signal having the first information if a fourth signal is to be transmitted to the first communication signal.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said first unit means receives said second response signal, generates said fourth signal compatible with the first signaling protocol and transmits said fourth signal to said first communication system.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein a first signaling network is disposed between the first and second communication systems, and is coupled to said signaling gateway module.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein said first communication system supports a first authentication feature, said second communication system does not support said first authentication feature, said gateway means further comprising:

an authentication means, for permitting a mobile station having a home location register in the second communication system to utilize said first authentication feature while communicating via the first communication system.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said authentication means includes:

an authentication data means, having mobile station information identified with said first mobile station;

an authentication analysis means, disposed to receive signals from said authentication data means, for determining an first authentication value based upon said mobile station information;

an authentication request means, disposed to receive signals from said first unit means, for requesting a second authentication value from said mobile station; and

an authentication validity means, disposed to receive signals from said authentication analysis means, for determining that said mobile is authentic if said first authentication value is equal to said second authentication value.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said information identified with said first mobile station includes an electronic serial number and an A-key.

21. A method for communicating between a first communication system having a first signaling protocol and a second communication systems having a second signaling protocol, the first signaling protocol not fully compatible with the second signaling protocol, the first signaling protocol supports a first communication feature, said second signaling protocol does not support the first communication feature, wherein a signaling gateway module is disposed to communicate with the first and second communication systems, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a first signal at the signaling gateway from the first communication system, said first signal requesting first information from the second communication system, said first information relates to said first communication feature that is not supported by said second signaling protocol;

generating a first response signal in said signaling gateway module, said first response signal having said first information; and

transmitting said first response signal to said first communication system.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said first communication feature is an authentication feature.