Method and system for subscriber provisioning of wireless services

• US 6,453,162 B1
• Filed: 12/10/1998
• Issued: 09/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Gentry, William David
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Milord, Marceau
• Application Number:
  US09/209,127
• Time in Patent Office: 1,377 Days
• Field of Search: 455/433, 455/432, 455/422, 455/403, 455/414, 455/435, 455/445, 455/466, 455/411, 455/456, 379/219, 379/220
• US Class Current: 455/433
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

A method and system for provisioning a wireless component over an internet protocol network. A request to modify information in a location register is received from an input device coupled to an internet protocol network. The request is converted into an HLR access message. The HLR access message is sent to the location register, and information is modified in the location register in response to the HLR access message.

Claims

1. A method for provisioning a location register over an internet protocol network, comprising:

receiving from an input device coupled to an internet protocol network a request to modify information in a location register;

converting the request into at least one HLR access message;

sending the at least one HLR access message to the location; and

modifying information in the location register in response to the at least one HLR access message

wherein the request is for obtaining a local number in a first service area for use for a predetermined time with a wireless station provisioned in a second service area.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the converting step is preformed on a server coupled to the internet protocol network and associated with receiving the request to modify information in the location register, and further comprising sending the at least one HLR access message using an internet protocol transport to gateway server with which the location register is in communication on before sending the at least one HLR access message to the location register.

3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising converting the HLR access message from the internet protocol transport to a message transfer part transport before sending the HLR access message to the location register.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the location register is coupled to the Internet, and wherein the converting step is preformed on a server coupled to the internet protocol network and associated with receiving the request to modify information in the location register, and further comprising sending the at least one HLR access message to the location register using the internet protocol transport.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the request comprises a mobile identification number, an activation time, a duration, and an originating device IP address.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the modifying step comprises assigning a local number for use by the wireless station when the wireless station is in the first service area.

7. A method according to claim 6, further comprising sending a message indicating the local number to the input device.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one HLR access message comprises an IS-4I message.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one HLR access message comprises a GSM MAP message.

10. A method for reducing charges associated with communications with a cellular subscriber station (CSS), comprising the steps of:

receiving a request to obtain a local number in a first service area for use for a predetermined time with a CSS provisioned in a second service area;

generating a message including the request and sending the message in an internet protocol (IP) format to a gateway server;

sending, from the gateway server, at least one HLR access message operable to request the local number to at least one of a location register and a mobile telephone switching office (MTSO) associated with the first service area in a message transfer part (MTP) format;

assigning a local number for use by the CSS when the CSS is in the first service area; and

sending a message indicating the local number.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the message comprises the at least one HLR access message.

12. A method according to claim 10, further comprising receiving billing information associated with the wireless phone, and sending the billing information to the gateway server.

13. A method according to claim 12, further comprising sending the billing information to a billing application prior to sending the message indicating the local number.

14. A method according to claim 10, wherein the request is received via user input at a display device.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the message indicating the local number is communicated to the display device.

16. A method according to claim 10, wherein the predetermined time includes a service begin date and a service end date.

17. A method according to claim 10, further comprising provisioning a switch associated with the first service area to activate the local number for use by the CSS.

18. A method according to claim 10, wherein the at least one HLR access message comprises an IS-41 message.

19. A method according to claim 10, wherein the at least one HLR access message comprises a GSM MAP message.

20. A method according to claim 10, wherein the at least one HLR access message includes a mobile identification number, an activation time, a duration, and an originating device IP address.

21. A method for allocating a local number, comprising the steps of:

generating a message requesting a local number for use in a first service area by a wireless phone provisioned in a second service area;

sending the message in an internet protocol format to a gateway switch being operable to communicate with at least one of a location register and a MTSO associated with the first service area;

translating the message into at least one HLR access message;

sending the at least one HLR access message to the at least one of a location register and a MTSO; and

receiving the local number from the at least one of a location register and a MTSO.

22. A system for reducing charges associated with communications with a cellular subscriber station (CSS), comprising:

a receiver operable to receive a request to obtain a local number in a first service area for use for a predetermined time with a CSS provisioned in a second service area;

a generator operable to generate a message including the request and communicate the message in an internet protocol (IP) format to a gateway server;

wherein the gateway server is operable to transmit at least one HLR access message to request the local number to at least one of a location register and a MTSO associated with the first service area in a message transfer part (MTP) format;

wherein the at least one of a location register and a MTSO is operable to assign a local number for use by the CSS when the CSS is in the first service area; and

a transmitter operable to transmit a message indicating the local number.