Mobile communication system having improved visitor location register content management and method of operation
First Claim
1. A wireless communication system for communicating with a plurality of mobile terminals comprising:
- at least one mobile switching center;
at least one base station communicatively coupled with each mobile switching center, each base station providing wireless communications within at least one respective cell, each of the plurality of mobile terminals communicating through a corresponding base station and corresponding mobile switching center when resident within a cell;
a visitor location register corresponding to one of the mobile switching centers; and
a visitor location register manager that downloads, from a home location register, subscriber information for a plurality of mobile terminals active within corresponding cells, that stores the subscriber information as visitor location register records in the visitor location register, that organizes the visitor location register records based upon a prioritization of the visitor location register records, and that periodically deletes a first plurality of visitor location register records that have a lower priority than a second plurality of visitor location records, the second plurality of visitor location records not deleted from the visitor location register.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A wireless communication system includes at least one mobile switching center ("MSC"), at least one base station coupled to each MSC, a visitor location register ("VLR") and a visitor location register manager ("VLRM"). Each MSC couples to at least one base system controller ("BSC") which couples to at least one base transceiver station ("BTS"). Each BTS provides wireless communication within at least one respective cell, each of the plurality of mobile terminals communicating through a corresponding BTS, BSC and MSC when resident within a cell. The VLR corresponds to one of the MSCs and stores subscriber information for mobile terminals that are active in corresponding cells. The VLRM downloads, from a home location register, subscriber information for mobile terminals becoming active within one of a plurality of cells corresponding to the VLR and stores the subscriber information as a VLR record in the VLR. In accordance with the present invention, the VLRM selectively retains VLR records when corresponding mobile terminals becomes inactive within the cells corresponding to the VLR. The VLRM organizes the VLR records based upon a selected priority. In one embodiment, the VLR is organized as a linked list based upon the priority of VLR records. Stored on the basis of priority, the VLRM may delete VLR records on the same priority basis. In one embodiment of the present invention, a selected priority relates to the time stamp of last activity within any cell respective to the VLR.
44 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A wireless communication system for communicating with a plurality of mobile terminals comprising:
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at least one mobile switching center; at least one base station communicatively coupled with each mobile switching center, each base station providing wireless communications within at least one respective cell, each of the plurality of mobile terminals communicating through a corresponding base station and corresponding mobile switching center when resident within a cell; a visitor location register corresponding to one of the mobile switching centers; and a visitor location register manager that downloads, from a home location register, subscriber information for a plurality of mobile terminals active within corresponding cells, that stores the subscriber information as visitor location register records in the visitor location register, that organizes the visitor location register records based upon a prioritization of the visitor location register records, and that periodically deletes a first plurality of visitor location register records that have a lower priority than a second plurality of visitor location records, the second plurality of visitor location records not deleted from the visitor location register. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. In a wireless communication system having at least one mobile switching center, at least one base station communicatively coupled with each mobile switching center, with each base station providing wireless communications within at least one respective cell and with each of the plurality of mobile terminals communicating through a corresponding base station and a corresponding mobile switching center when resident within a cell, and a home location register, a visitor management system comprising:
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a visitor location register corresponding to one of the mobile switching centers; and a visitor location register manager that downloads, from a home location register, subscriber information for a mobile terminal active within one of a plurality of cells corresponding to the visitor location register, that stores the subscriber information as a visitor location register record in the visitor location register, that prioritizes the visitor location register record with respect to other visitor location register records stored in the visitor location register, and that periodically deletes a first plurality of visitor location register records that have a lower priority than a second plurality of visitor location records, the second plurality of visitor location records not deleted from the visitor location register. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. In a wireless communication system having at least one mobile switching center, at least one base station communicatively coupled with each mobile switching center with each base station providing wireless communications within at least one respective cell and with each of the plurality of mobile terminals communicating through a corresponding base station and corresponding mobile switching center when resident within a cell, a home location register and a visitor location register, a visitor management method comprising the steps of:
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upon activity of a mobile terminal within a cell corresponding to the visitor location register, downloading, from a home location register, subscriber information for the mobile terminal; storing the subscriber information as a visitor location register record in the visitor location register; organizing visitor location register records based upon respective priorities; and periodically deleting a first plurality of visitor location register records that have a lower priority than a second plurality of visitor location records, the second plurality of visitor location records not deleted from the visitor location register. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification