System for controlling and monitoring a wireless roaming call

• US 6,516,194 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2001
• Issued: 02/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Freedom Wireless Incorporated (Freedom Wireless)
• Original Assignee: VeriSign, Inc.
• Inventors: Hanson, Daniel A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cumming, William
• Application Number:
  US09/794,802
• Publication Number:
  US 20010031636A1
• Time in Patent Office: 707 Days
• Field of Search: 455/433, 455/432, 455/435, 455/422, 455/407, 455/437, 455/560
• US Class Current: 455/433
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/31 Distributed metering or calculation of charges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8038 Roaming or handoff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/88 Provision for limiting connection, or expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0116 Provision for limiting expenditure, e.g. limit on call expenses or account
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/34 Roaming
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7442 Roaming
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/96 Distributed calculation of charges, e.g. in different nodes like for mobiles between HLR and VLR, or between the terminal and the billing function
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/12 between location registers or mobility servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/18 Service support devices; Network management devices

Abstract

The invention is a Roaming Solution network system, the system including a Roaming Server, a National Location Register, and an 800 number Remote Switching Unit. The system is integrated with a standard SS7 type telecommunications network and further coupled to an account based billing and call control platform that allows registered wireless credit limited subscribers to place and receive calls when roaming outside of their Home Provider'"'"'s network. The invention verifies that the wireless subscriber'"'"'s account balance is sufficient to place or receive the call, translates the account balance into talk minutes, and monitors the call for talk duration. The Roaming Solution network system is further operable such that if the wireless subscriber exceeds the available account balance, the system tears down the call in the first negative minute and immediately decrements the wireless subscriber'"'"'s account. If the call is disconnected prior to the account balance being depleted, the invention immediately decrements the wireless subscriber'"'"'s account and releases the trunks. This Roaming Solution network system is designed to mitigate a Home Provider'"'"'s exposure to credit risk when providing roaming services to credit limited subscribers.

Claims

1. A wireless telecommunications network for providing telecommunications services to at least one credit limited wireless subscriber in a plurality of wireless subscribers, the network including at least one home mobile switching center, the home mobile switching center including a home location register, and the network including at least one serving mobile switching center, the serving mobile switching center including a visiting location register;

and

the network comprising;

switching means for switching telecommunications calls;

mobile station means for placing and receiving the telecommunications calls;

register means for providing a national location register, the register means coupled with the home mobile switching center, the register means further coupled with the serving mobile switching center;

wherein the register means communicates as the visiting location register with the home mobile switching center and as the home location register with the serving mobile switching center;

wherein the register means is configured to receive messages from the home mobile switching center and from the serving mobile switching center; and

wherein the register means is further configured to transmit roaming information regarding the messages to a roaming server, wherein the roaming server is configured to perform real-time call control and credit limited account based billing, based on the roaming information.

2. The network of claim 1, wherein the register means further comprises:

message processing means for receiving at least one registration notification message from the serving mobile switching center and to modify the registration notification message to identify the register means as the visiting location register with respect to the home mobile switching center and as the home location register with respect to the serving mobile switching center.

3. The network of claim 1, wherein the register means further comprises:

message processing means for transmitting a termination restriction message to the serving mobile switching center, whereby call termination is restricted at the serving mobile switching center.

4. The network of claim 1, wherein the register means further comprises:

number selector means for assigning a telephone number unique to a roaming call for routing call originations through a call origination Remote Service Unit.

5. The network of claim 1, wherein the register means is configured to request a Temporary Location Directory Number from the serving mobile switching center, whereby incoming calls are routed from the home mobile switching center to the serving mobile switching center.

6. A wireless telecommunications network for providing telecommunications services to at least one credit limited wireless subscriber in a plurality of wireless subscribers, the network including at least one home mobile switching center, the home mobile switching center including a home location register, and the network including at least one serving mobile switching center, the serving mobile switching center including a visiting location register;

and

the network comprising;

telecommunications switches capable of switching telecommunications calls;

mobile phones capable of placing and receiving the telecommunications calls;

at least one national location register coupled with the home mobile switching center, the national location register further coupled with the serving mobile switching center;

wherein the national location register communicates as the visiting location register with the home mobile switching center and as the home location register with the serving mobile switching center;

wherein the national location register receives messages from the home mobile switching center and from the serving mobile switching center; and

wherein the national location register transmits roaming information regarding the messages to a roaming server, wherein the roaming server performs real-time call control and credit limited account based billing, based on the roaming information.

7. The network of claim 6, wherein the national location register further comprises:

at least one message processor that receives at least one registration notification message from the serving mobile switching center and that adapts the registration notification message to identify the national location register as the visiting location register with respect to the home mobile switching center and as the home location register with respect to the serving mobile switching center.

8. The network of claim 6, wherein the national location register further comprises:

at least one message processor configured to transmit a termination restriction message to the serving mobile switching center, whereby call termination is restricted at the serving mobile switching center.

9. The network of claim 6, wherein the national location register further comprises:

a database containing information for providing a telephone number unique to a roaming call for routing call originations through a call origination Remote Service Unit.

10. The network of claim 6, wherein the national location register is configured to request a Temporary Location Directory Number from the serving mobile switching center, whereby incoming calls are routed from the home mobile switching center to the serving mobile switching center.