Short message service notification between multiple short message service centers

• US 6,459,904 B1
• Filed: 01/05/2000
• Issued: 10/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Inventors: Lorello, Timothy J., Hart, Reuben D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Congvan
• Application Number:
  US09/477,711
• Time in Patent Office: 1,000 Days
• Field of Search: 455/403, 455/412, 455/433, 455/466, 455/414, 455/561, 455/445, 455/567, 455/413
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/184 Messaging devices, e.g. message centre

Abstract

A short message service (SMS) network allows more than one short message service center (SMSC) to service an individual subscriber with virtually no modification to the existing conventional network elements, e.g., the home location register (HLR) or the mobile switching center (MSC). In a disclosed embodiment, the HLR of the SMS network sends a notification, e.g., an SMS notification (SMSNOT) signal, to a predetermined one of the plurality of SMSCs in the SMS network when a subscriber becomes available to receive a pending short message from at least one of the plurality of SMSCs. Each of the plurality of SMSCs in turn delivers short messages to an intended subscriber, and then forwards the notification signal to another one of the SMSCs, until all of the SMSCs have delivered the respective pending short messages. The next SMSC to which the SMSNOT is forwarded may be fixedly determined, e.g., by network configuration. Moreover, the path for forwarding the SMSNOT signal may be reconfigured when one or more SMSCs are added to the SMS network. Alternatively, the forwarding path may be determined dynamically by the preceding SMSC in accordance with an intelligent rule based on parameters such as, for example, the type of short message(s) that was retained by the preceding SMSC, the address the intended subscriber, the type of intended subscriber, etc. The path may also be determined by a combination of fixed and dynamic selection. For instance, the selection of the next SMSC may normally be fixed, and upon an occurrence of a predetermined event, dynamic selection based on the intelligent rule(s) may be triggered.

Claims

1. A short message service network for sending and receiving short messages to and from a communication device of a subscriber of said short message service network, comprising:

at least one home location register; and

a plurality of short message service centers adapted to receive at least one short message service notification message from at least one other short message service center, one of said plurality of short message service centers being an only one among said plurality of short message service centers which is adapted to receive a short message service notification message from said at least one home location register, said short message service notification message indicating availability of an intended subscriber to receive said short messages.

2. A method of delivering to an intended subscriber at least one short message retained within a corresponding at least one of plurality of servicing short message service centers servicing said intended subscriber in a short message service network, comprising:

determining if said intended subscriber has become available to receive said at least one short message;

initiating delivery of said retained at least one short message to said intended subscriber by notifying from a home location register only one of said plurality of servicing short message centers that said intended subscriber is available to receive said at least one short message from any one of said plurality of servicing short message service centers; and

transferring at least one short message service notification message from of said plurality of servicing short message centers to at least one other short message service center.

3. A short message service network for passing a short message relating to a communication device of a subscriber of said short message service network, comprising:

a first short message service center within said short message service network adapted to receive a short message service notification message indicating availability of an intended subscriber to receive said passed short message; and

a second short message service center within said short message service network;

wherein said first short message service center is adapted to pass said short message service notification message to said second short message service center.

4. The short message service network for passing a short message relating to a communication device of a subscriber of said short message service network according to claim 3, wherein:

said first short message service center receives said short message service notification from a home location register for said short message service network.

5. The short message service network for passing a short message relating to a communication device of a subscriber of said short message service network according to claim 3, wherein:

said second short message service center is assigned to said subscriber receiving said passed short message.

6. A method of delivering at least one short message to an intended subscriber, comprising:

receiving a short message service notification message in a first short message servicing center;

forwarding said received short message service notification message to a second short message servicing center; and

delivering said at least one short message to said intended subscriber.

7. The method of delivering at least one short message to an intended subscriber according to claim 6, wherein:

said at least one short message is delivered to said intended subscriber by said second short message servicing center.

8. The method of delivering at least one short message to an intended subscriber according to claim 6, wherein:

said short message service notification message received by said first short message servicing center is passed from a home location register.

9. The method of delivering at least one short message to an intended subscriber according to claim 6, wherein:

said short message service notification message indicates that said intended subscriber is able to receive short messages.

10. The method of delivering at least one short message to an intended subscriber according to claim 6, wherein:

said first short message servicing center and said second short message servicing center are comprised in a common short message service network.

11. The method of delivering at least one short message to an intended subscriber according to claim 6, further comprising:

determining if said intended subscriber has become available to receive said at least one short message.

12. The method of delivering at least one short message to an intended subscriber according to claim 11, wherein:

said determination is based on information contained in a home location register.

13. Apparatus for delivering at least one short message to an intended subscriber, comprising:

means for receiving a short message service notification message in a first short message servicing center;

means for forwarding said received short message service notification message to a second short message servicing center; and

means for delivering said at least one short message to said intended subscriber.

14. The apparatus for delivering at least one short message to an intended subscriber according to claim 13, wherein:

said means for delivering said at least one short message is comprised in said second short message servicing center.

15. The apparatus for delivering at least one short message to an intended subscriber according to claim 13, further comprising:

a home location register adapted to send said short message service notification message to said means for receiving.

16. The apparatus for delivering at least one short message to an intended subscriber according to claim 13, wherein:

said short message service notification message indicates that said intended subscriber is able to receive short messages.

17. The apparatus for delivering at least one short message to an intended subscriber according to claim 13, wherein:

said first short message servicing center and said second short message servicing center are comprised in a common short message service network.

18. The apparatus for delivering at least one short message to an intended subscriber according to claim 13, further comprising:

means for determining if said intended subscriber has become available to receive said at least one short message.

19. The apparatus for delivery at least one short message to an intended subscriber according to claim 18, wherein:

said means for determining performs a determination based on information contained in a home location register.