Method and service providing means for providing services in a telecommunication network

• US 6,529,732 B1
• Filed: 12/14/1999
• Issued: 03/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Maekiniemi, Petri, Vainiomäki, Hannu
• Primary Examiner(s): VO, NGUYEN THANH
• Application Number:
  US09/460,712
• Time in Patent Office: 1,176 Days
• Field of Search: 370/310, 370/328, 370/337, 455/432, 455/433, 455/435, 455/552, 455/553
• US Class Current: 455/433
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/12 between location registers or mobility servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/20 Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

When a mobile station (MS) roams from a first telecommunication network (HPLMN) to a second telecommunication network (VPLMN) some of the features of the services to which the subscriber has subscribed to in the first telecommunication network (HPLMN) are differently implemented in the second network (VPLMN). According to the invention, the subscriber data and/or service data of services or of features of these services which are not supported in the second network (VPLMN) are converted by a conversion means (CM) of a service providing means (ASPM) into a format for a service which is supported in the second network (MSC/VLR′). Preferably, a dynamic updating and conversion can be performed such that the respective data is converted whenever it changes. Functionalities provided by a specific service supported differently in the second network will be provided by a service or a feature of a service which is available in the second network. Thus, the mobile subscriber can use at least some of the functions available to him in the first network also in the second network to which he has roamed. The data with the converted format can also be forwarded to a switching means (GMSC′) of an interrogating network (IPLMN) or to a switching means (GMSC) of said first network (HPLMN) form which a terminating call is to be routed to said mobile station in said second network (VPLMN).

Claims

1. A method for supporting features of services, to which a subscriber of a first telecommunication network (HPLMN) has subscribed, in a second telecommunication network (VPLMN), when a mobile station (MS) has roamed from said first to said second telecommunication network (VPLMN), comprising the following steps:

a) determining (S2-S4) in the first network (HPLMN) whether features of one or more services to which the subscriber has subscribed to in the first network (HPLMN) are supported or are supported differently in the second network (VPLMN);

b) sending (S7) a conversion request message (RM) from a home database (HLR) of the first network (HPLMN), in which the subscriber data and/or service data (SD1-F1 . . . SDn-Fn) for each subscribed service is stored for each subscriber, to a service providing means (ASPM), which provides the features of the subscribed services in the first network,

said request message (RM) indicating subscriber data and/or service data (SD1-F1 . . . SDm-Fn) relating to features of the subscribed services which have been determined as being supported differently in the second network (VPLMN);

c) converting (S8) in said service providing means (ASPM) the format (F1-Fn) of said subscriber data and/or service data (SD1-F1 . . . SDm-Fn) relating to features of services supported differently in the second network (VPLMN) to a subscriber data and/or service data format (F1-Fn) of at least one service which is supported in said second network (VPLMN); and

d) sending a response message (RSM;

TM) containing said subscriber data and/or service data (SD1-F1 . . . SDm-Fn) having said converted format back to said home data base (HLR).

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein

said determining step a) is performed when the mobile station (MS) roams from the first network (HPLMN) to the second network (VPLMN) and attempts to register at a switching means (MSC/VLR′ ) of the second network (VPLMN), wherein after step d) said subscriber data and/or service data (SD1-F1 . . . SDm-Fn) with said converted format is sent from said home data base (HLR) to a switching means (MSC/VLR′

) of the second network (VPLMN) to which the mobile station (MS) has roamed.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein

said request message (RM) or a further request message comprises an indication of changing service data to be converted in case it changes over time and a service data change detection instruction indicating that a conversion of the format of the changing service data is to be performed whenever said service data has changed in the first network, wherein a message containing said changed service data having the converted format is sent to said respective switching means (MSC/VLR′

) whenever said service data has changed and has been converted.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein

said determining step a) is performed in response to a routing information request message (ST1) sent from a switching means (GMSC′

) of a third network (IPLMN) or from a switching means (GMSC) of the first network (HPLMN) which attempts to route a terminating call to the mobile station (MS) roamed into the second network (VPLMN), wherein after step d) said subscriber data and/or service data (SD1-F1 . . . SDm-Fn) with said converted format is sent from said home data base (HLR) to said switching means (GMSC′

) of said third network (IPLMN) or to said switching means (GMSC) of the first network (HPLMN).

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein

said request message (RM) or a further request message comprises an indication of changing service data to be converted in case it changes over time and a service data change detection instruction indicating that a conversion of the format of the changing service data is to be performed whenever said service data has changed in the first network, wherein a message containing said changed service data having the converted format is sent to said respective switching means (MSC/VLR′

) whenever said service data has changed and has been converted.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein

said request message (RM) indicates as said subscriber data to be converted one or more selected from the group consisting of:

a subscriber identity, a network identification, a location of the subscriber, said service data related to said supported service and said differently implemented services.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein

the first and/or second networks (HPLMN;

VPLMN) are GSM/NMT/TACS/DECT type mobile communication networks and said services supported differently in the second network (VPLMN) are one or more selected from the group formed by;

CAMEL type services (in particular CAMEL phase 2 services), IN (IntelligentNetwork) type services, NMT (NordicMobileTelephony) type services, TACS (TotalAccessCommunicationsSystem) type services, predetermined GSM type services and DECT (DigitalEnhancedCordlessTelecommunications) services.

8. A service providing means (ASPM) for providing features of services, to which a subscriber of a first telecommunication network (HPLMN) has subscribed, in the first network (HPLMN), comprising:

a) a conversion means (CM) for converting (S8), in response to a conversion request message (RM), which is issued from a home database (HLR) of the first network (HPLMN), in which the subscriber data and/or service data (SD1-F1 . . . SDm-Fn) of each subscribed service is stored for each subscriber, when a mobile station (MS) roams from the first to a second telecommunication network (VPLMN), and which indicates subscriber data and/or service data (SD1-F1 . . . SDm-Fn) relating to features of subscribed services differently supported in said second network (VPLMN), the format (F1-Fn) of the subscriber data and/or service data (SD1-F1 . . . SDm-Fn) relating to features of said differently supported services to a subscriber data and/or service data format (F1-Fn) of at least one service which is supported in said second network (VPLMN); and

b) a response means (RSM) for sending a response message (RSM;

TM) containing said subscriber data and/or service data (SD1-F1 . . . SDm-Fn) having said converted format back to said home data base (HLR).

9. A service providing means according to claim 8, wherein

said home database (HLR) sends said subscriber data and/or service data (SD1-F1 . . . SDm-Fn) with said converted format to a switching means (MSC/VLR′ ) of said second network (VPLMN) to which said mobile station (MS) has roamed.

10. A service providing means according to claim 9, wherein

said request message (RM) or a further request message comprises an indication of changing service data to be converted in case it changes over time and a service data change detection instruction indicating that a conversion of the format of the changing service data is to be performed whenever said service data has changed in the first network, wherein said conversion means (CM) performs a conversion and said response means (RSM) sends a response message containing said changed service data having the converted format to said switching means (MSC/VLR′

) whenever a service data change detection means of said conversion means (CM) detects that said service data has changed.

11. A service providing means according to claim 8, wherein

said conversion means (CM) is adapted for performing said conversion in response to a routing information request message (ST1) sent from a switching means (GMSC′

) of a third network (IPLMN) or from a switching means (GMSC) of said first network (HPLMN) which attempts to route a terminating call to said mobile station (MS) roamed into said second network (VPLMN), and said home database (HLR) sends said subscriber data and/or service data (SD1-F1 . . . SDm-Fn) with said converted format to said switching means (GMSC′

) of said third network (IPLMN) or to said switching means (GMSC) of said first network (HPLMN).

12. A service providing means according to claim 11, wherein

said request message (RM) or a further request message comprises an indication of changing service data to be converted in case it changes over time and a service data change detection instruction indicating that a conversion of the format of the changing service data is to be performed whenever said service data has changed in the first network, wherein a message containing said changed service data having the converted format is sent to said respective switching means (MSC/VLR′

) whenever said service data has changed and has been converted.

13. A service providing means according to claim 8, wherein

said request message (RM) indicates as said subscriber data to be converted one or more selected from the group consisting of:

a subscriber identity, a network identification, a location of the subscriber, said service data related to said supported service or differently supported services.

14. A service providing means according to claim 8, wherein

the first and/or second networks (HPLMN;

VPLMN) are GSM/NMT/TACS/DECT type mobile communication networks and said services supported differently in said second network (VPLMN) are one or more selected from the group consisting of CAMEL type services (in particular CAMEL phase 2 services), IN (IntelligentNetwork) type services, NMT (NordicMobileTelephony) type services, TACS (TotalAccessCommunicationssystem) type services, predetermined GSM type services and DECT (DigitalEnhancedCordlessTelecommunications) services.

15. A telecommunication network (PLMN) providing to a mobile station (MS) services to which a subscriber of said mobile station (MS) has subscribed to in the network (HPLMN), comprising:

a) a home data base (HLR) in which the subscriber data and/or service data (SD1-F1 . . . SDm-Fn) of each subscribed service is stored for each subscriber of the network (HPLMN);

b) a service providing means (ASPM, SN) for providing said services in the network (HPLMN);

c) a roaming detection means for detecting when the mobile station (MS) roams into another network (VPLMN) in which at least one of said subscribed services is differently supported;

d) said home database (HLR) sending to said service providing means (ASPM) a conversion request message (RM) indicating subscriber data and/or service data (SD1-F1 . . . SDm-Fn) relating to features of subscribed services which are differently supported in said another network (VPLMN) when said roaming detection means (RDM) detects said roaming of the mobile station (MS);

e) said service providing means (ASPM) including;

a conversion means (CM) for converting (S8) in response to said request message (RM), the format (F1-Fn) of said indicated subscriber data and/or service data (SD1-F1 . . . SDm-Fn) relating to features of the services supported differently in said another network (VPLMN) to a subscriber data and/or service data format (F1-Fn) of at least one service which is supported in said another network (VPLMN); and

a response means (RSM) for sending a response message (RSM;

TM) containing said subscriber data and/or service data (SD1-F1 . . . SDm-Fn) having said converted format back to said home data base (HLR).

16. A network according to claim 15, wherein

said home database (HLR) sends said subscriber data and/or service data (SD1-F1 . . . SDm-Fn) with said converted format to a switching means (MSC/VLR′ ) of said second network (VPLMN) to which said mobile station (MS) has roamed.

17. A network (HPLMN) according to claim 16, wherein

said request message (RM) or a further request message comprises an indication of changing service data to be converted in case it changes over time and a service data change detection instruction indicating that a conversion of the format of the changing service data is to be performed whenever said service data has changed in the first network, wherein said conversion means (CM) performs a conversion and said response means (RSM) sends a response message containing said changed service data having the converted format to said switching means (MSC/VLR′

) whenever a service data change detection means (SDCDM) of said conversion means (CM) detects that said service data has changed.

18. A network according to claim 15, wherein

said conversion means (CM) is adapted for performing said conversion in response to a routing information request message (ST1) sent from a switching means (GMSC′

) of a third network (IPLMN) or from a switching means (GMSC) of said first network (HPLMN) which attempts to route a terminating call to the mobile station (MS) roamed into said second network (VPLMN), and said home database (HLR) sends said subscriber data and/or service data (SD1-F1 . . . SDm-Fn) with said converted format to said switching means (GMSC′

) of said third network (IPLMN) or to said switching means (GMSC) of the first network (HPLMN).

19. A network according to claim 18, wherein

said request message (RM) or a further request message comprises an indication of changing service data to be converted in case it changes over time and a service data change detection instruction indicating that a conversion of the format of the changing service data is to be performed whenever said service data has changed in the first network, wherein a message containing said changed service data having the converted format is sent to said respective switching means (MSC/VLR′

) whenever said service data has changed and has been converted.

20. A network (HPLMN) according to claim 15, wherein

said request message (RM) indicates as said subscriber data to be converted one or more selected from the group consisting of:

a subscriber identity, a network identification, a location of the subscriber and said service data related to said differently implemented services.

21. A network (HPLMN) according to claim 15, wherein

said first and/or second networks (HPLMN;

VPLMN) are GSM/NMT/TACS/DECT type mobile communication networks and said services supported differently in said second network (VPLMN) are one or more selected from the group consisting of;

CAMEL type services (in particular CAMEL phase 2 services), IN (IntelligentNetwork) type services, NMT (NordicMobileTelephony) type services, TACS (TotalAccessCommunicationsSystem) type services, predetermined GSM type services and DECT (DigitalEnhancedCordlessTelecommunications) services.