Multi-profile subscriber
First Claim
1. A telecommunications network for serving a plurality of subscribers, comprising:
- a home location register having a bank of information on each of the plurality of subscribers, the bank of information on a respective subscriber having an active profile number field and a plurality of feature lists identified by a number, wherein the active profile number field specifies which feature list is currently available to the respective subscriber;
at least one mobile switching center communicating with the home location register;
at least one base station communicating with the at least one mobile switching center;
means at the base station for communicating receipt of a "Change of Profile Request" message from a mobile station to a mobile switching center, said "Change of Profile Request" message specifying the number of a new feature list;
means at the mobile switching center for transmitting the "Change of Profile Request" message to the home location register; and
means at the home location register updating, in response to receipt of the "Change of Profile Request" message, the contents of the active profile number field with the number of the new feature list and transmitting a "New Profile Acknowledge" message including the new feature list specified in the active profile number field to the mobile switching center.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for allowing subscribers of a telecommunications network to change easily between sets of desired features is disclosed. The home location register stores multiple profiles of all subscribers within its serving region along with an active profile number field indicating the list of features currently available to each subscriber. Upon initial registration of the mobile station at a mobile switching center communicating with the home location register, a default profile is extracted from the home location register. Upon dialling a special code or number, a subscriber can prompt a change of profile containing a different set of features for different users of the mobile station or for different times of day or geographic areas. In this way, subscribers bypass the routine of having to contact an agent in order to add or remove features and are allowed to switch among multiple profiles at will. A personal identification number can be used to enhance the security of the profile change procedure.
122 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A telecommunications network for serving a plurality of subscribers, comprising:
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a home location register having a bank of information on each of the plurality of subscribers, the bank of information on a respective subscriber having an active profile number field and a plurality of feature lists identified by a number, wherein the active profile number field specifies which feature list is currently available to the respective subscriber; at least one mobile switching center communicating with the home location register; at least one base station communicating with the at least one mobile switching center; means at the base station for communicating receipt of a "Change of Profile Request" message from a mobile station to a mobile switching center, said "Change of Profile Request" message specifying the number of a new feature list; means at the mobile switching center for transmitting the "Change of Profile Request" message to the home location register; and means at the home location register updating, in response to receipt of the "Change of Profile Request" message, the contents of the active profile number field with the number of the new feature list and transmitting a "New Profile Acknowledge" message including the new feature list specified in the active profile number field to the mobile switching center. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A method for activating features for a subscriber of a telecommunications network, the network serving a plurality of subscribers and comprising a home location register having a bank of information on each of the plurality of subscribers, the bank of information on a respective subscriber having an active profile number field and a plurality of feature lists identified by a number, wherein the active profile number field specifies which feature list is currently available to the respective subscriber;
- at least one mobile switching center communicating with the home location register; and
at least one base station communicating with the mobile switching center, the method comprising;a mobile station transmitting to a base station a sequence of dialled digits representing placement of a call; the base station communicating receipt of the dialled digits to a mobile switching center; the mobile switching center transmitting a first message to the home location register notifying the home location register that the mobile station has not registered at the mobile switching center; the home location register transmitting, in response to receiving the first message, a second message including the feature list specified in the active profile number field to the mobile switching center; the mobile switching center, in response to receiving the second message, instructing the mobile station to tune to a voice channel; and upon the mobile station tuning to the voice channel, the mobile switching center transmitting to the home location register a third message notifying the home location register that the mobile station is required to register at the mobile switching center. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
- at least one mobile switching center communicating with the home location register; and
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9. A method for allowing a subscriber of a telecommunications network to select a different profile of available features, the network serving a plurality of subscribers and comprising a home location register having a bank of information on each of the plurality of subscribers, the bank of information on a respective subscriber having an active profile number field and a plurality of feature lists identified by a number, wherein the active profile number field specifies which feature list is currently available to the respective subscriber;
- at least one mobile switching center communicating with the home location register; and
at least one base station communicating with the mobile switching center, the method comprising;a mobile station transmitting a first message to a base station indicating a change of profile request, said first message specifying the number of a new feature list; the base station communicating receipt of the first message to a mobile switching center; the mobile switching center transmitting the change of profile request in the form of a second message to the home location register; the home location register updating the active profile number field with the number of the new feature list; and the home location register transmitting a third message including the new feature list specified in the active profile number field to the mobile switching center. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
- at least one mobile switching center communicating with the home location register; and
Specification