Method for poring a mobile directory number from one wireless service provider to another

• US 6,192,242 B1
• Filed: 03/16/1998
• Issued: 02/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Rollender, Douglas Harold
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Nay
• Assistant Examiner(s): CONTEE, JOY KIMBERLY
• Application Number:
  US09/042,602
• Time in Patent Office: 1,072 Days
• Field of Search: 455/433, 455/435, 455/445, 455/432, 455/461, 379/211, 379/88, 379/219, 379/207, 379/230, 379/220, 379/221, 379/229
• US Class Current: 455/433
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/005 Personal communication services, e.g. provisions for portability of subscriber numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/28 Number portability ; Network address portability

Abstract

The present invention is a method for porting a mobile directory number of a subscriber from a donor wireless service provider to a recipient wireless service provider with minimum interruption to the subscriber'"'"'s wireless communication service. In one embodiment, the present invention is accomplished by creating an entry for the wireless terminal in the recipient wireless service provider'"'"'s home location register and a temporary pointer in the donor wireless service provider'"'"'s home location register, wherein such temporary pointer will cause the donor wireless communication system to route or forward any call intended for the wireless terminal being ported to the recipient wireless communications system for completion in well-known fashion. When the porting process is complete, the temporary pointer is removed or deactivated in the donor wireless service provider'"'"'s home location register. Advantageously, coordination of the porting process is controlled by the recipient wireless service provider resulting in minimum interruption to the subscriber'"'"'s wireless communications service.

Claims

1. A method for porting a mobile directory number associated with a wireless terminal from a donor wireless service provider to a recipient wireless service provider, said method comprising the steps of:

creating a recipient home location register entry for the wireless terminal associating with the mobile directory number to be ported and a mobile station identification number assigned to the wireless terminal by the recipient wireless service provider;

transmitting a first message indicating to a number portability administrative center an intent to port the mobile directory number to the recipient wireless service provider; and

transmitting a second message, from the recipient wireless service provider without going through the number portability administrative center, indicating to the donor wireless service provider to include a location routing number identifying the recipient wireless service provider in a donor home location register entry for the wireless terminal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of creating the recipient home location register entry includes the step of:

assigning the mobile station identification number to the wireless terminal by the recipient wireless service provider.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message further indicates a service change event specifying when porting of the mobile directory number should occur.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the second message further indicates the service change event.

5. The method of claim 1 comprising the additional step of:

receiving a service change event specifying when number portability databases will be updated to indicate that the recipient wireless service provider is a home wireless service provider for the wireless terminal.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second message further indicates the service change event.

7. The method of claim 1 comprising the additional step of:

transmitting a third message indicating to the donor wireless service provider to delete the donor home location register entry for the wireless terminal.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of transmitting the third message is executed upon occurrence of a service change event.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the recipient home location register entry for the wireless terminal also has an indication that the wireless terminal is a subscriber of the recipient wireless service provider.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second message further indicates to the donor wireless service provider to include an indication in the donor home location register entry for the wireless terminal that the wireless terminal is a subscriber of the wireless service provider identified by the location routing number.

11. A method for porting a mobile directory number associated with a wireless terminal from a donor wireless service provider to a recipient wireless service provider, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving a message, from the recipient wireless service provider without going through the number portability administrative center, indicating to the donor wireless service provider to include a location routing number identifying the recipient wireless service provider in a donor home location register entry for the wireless terminal; and

updating the donor home location register entry for the wireless terminal to include the location routing number identifying the recipient wireless service provider.

12. The method of claim 11 comprising the additional step of:

updating the donor home location register entry for the wireless terminal to include an indication that the wireless terminal is a subscriber of the wireless service provider identified by the location routing number.

13. The method of claim 11 comprising the additional step of:

removing the donor home location register entry for the wireless terminal.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the donor home location register entry for the wireless terminal is removed when a service change event occurs.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the donor home location register entry for the wireless terminal is removed when a message is received indicating to the donor wireless service provider to remove the donor home location register entry for the wireless terminal.

16. A method for porting a mobile directory number associated with a wireless terminal from a donor wireless service provider to a recipient wireless service provider, said method comprising the steps of:

creating a recipient home location register entry for the wireless terminal associating with the mobile directory number to be ported and a mobile station identification number assigned to the wireless terminal by the recipient wireless service provider;

transmitting a first message indicating to a number portability administrative center an intent to port the mobile directory number to the recipient wireless service provider;

transmitting a second message, from the recipient wireless service provider without going through the number portability administrative center, indicating to the donor wireless service provider to include a location routing number identifying the recipient wireless service provider in a donor home location register entry for the wireless terminal; and

transmitting a third message indicating to the donor wireless service provider to delete the donor home location register entry for the wireless terminal.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of transmitting the third message is executed upon occurrence of a service change event.

18. A method for porting a mobile directory number associated with a wireless terminal from a donor wireless service provider to a recipient wireless service provider, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving a message, from the recipient wireless service provider without going through the number portability administrative center, indicating to the donor wireless service provider to include a location routing number identifying the recipient wireless service provider in a donor home location register entry for the wireless terminal;

updating the donor home location register entry for the wireless terminal to include the location routing number identifying the recipient wireless service provider; and

removing the donor home location register entry for the wireless terminal.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the donor home location register entry for the wireless terminal is removed when a service change event occurs.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the donor home location register entry for the wireless terminal is removed when a message is received indicating to the donor wireless service provider to remove the donor home location register entry for the wireless terminal.