System and method for managing access in cellular network with multiple profiles

• US 6,591,105 B1
• Filed: 12/30/1999
• Issued: 07/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Unwired Planet LLC (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Bhatia, Ranjit, Hussain, Tahir
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Nay
• Assistant Examiner(s): LELE, TANMAY S
• Application Number:
  US09/475,099
• Time in Patent Office: 1,286 Days
• Field of Search: 455/444, 455/440, 455/435, 455/555, 455/436, 455/433, 455/465, 455/426, 455/554
• US Class Current: 455/444
• 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 telecommunications system and method is disclosed for allowing business indoor mobile subscribers having multiple profiles to access both the business indoor network and the Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) using one mobile terminal. To implement this dual-network service, a toggle feature can be provided to allow a business indoor mobile subscriber to choose between different subscriber profiles. Thus, if a mobile subscriber currently has the business indoor profile active and wishes to access the PLMN while roaming outside the business indoor cell(s), the mobile subscriber can initiate this toggle feature, and upon acknowledgment and authentication by the PLMN, the mobile subscriber can have access to the PLMN.

Claims

1. A telecommunications system for allowing a business indoor mobile subscriber associated with a business indoor cellular network to choose between at least two subscriber profiles associated with said business indoor mobile subscriber, comprising:

a subscriber record associated with said business indoor mobile subscriber for storing said at least two subscriber profiles, said at least two subscriber profiles each being associated with a respective type of network access and each being active at a different respective time;

an override indication within said subscriber record for indicating a selected one of said at least two subscriber profiles is currently active regardless of said times associated with any of the other ones of said at least two subscriber profiles;

a timer within said subscriber record for monitoring the amount of time said selected subscriber profile has been activated; and

a home location register for receiving a toggle message from said business indoor subscriber, said toggle message requesting said home location register to set said override indication, said home location register deactivating said selected subscriber profile and activating a second one of said at least two subscriber profiles in response to the expiration of said timer.

2. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein said selected subscriber profile is currently active, said home location register extending said time associated with said selected subscriber profile, in response to said toggle message.

3. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein said home location register removes said override indication when said home location register deactivates said selected subscriber profile.

4. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein said toggle message further includes a timer period for initializing said timer.

5. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein said subscriber record further stores a timer period for initializing said timer.

6. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein said toggle message is an Unstructured Supplementary Service Data message.

7. The telecommunications system of claim 1, further comprising:

a mobile station associated with said business indoor subscriber and in wireless communication with said home location register for sending said toggle message to said home location register.

8. The telecommunications system of claim 7, wherein said mobile station includes a dedicated switch for sending said toggle message.

9. The telecommunications system of claim 7, wherein said mobile station sends said toggle message in response to a service code.

10. The telecommunications system of claim 7, wherein said mobile station includes a menu-driven system for sending said toggle message.

11. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein said toggle message includes an indication of said selected subscriber profile.

12. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein said business indoor cellular network is a localized service area cellular network.

13. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein said business indoor cellular network is an H.323 system implementing a cellular network.

14. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein said respective types of network access include at least business indoor cellular network only access and all network access.

15. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein said subscriber record further comprises:

a toggle indication for indicating whether said business indoor subscriber can request said home location register to activate said selected subscriber profile.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

in response to said second step of deactivating, removing said override indication.

16. A method for allowing a business indoor mobile subscriber associated with a business indoor cellular network to choose between at least two subscriber profiles associated with said business indoor mobile subscriber, comprising the steps of:

storing within a subscriber record associated with said business indoor mobile subscriber at least two subscriber profiles, said at least two subscriber profiles each being associated with a respective type of network access and each being active at a different respective time;

receiving, at a home location register storing said subscriber record, a toggle message from said business indoor subscriber;

in response to said toggle message, setting, by said home location register, an override indicator to indicate a select one of said at least two subscriber profiles is currently active regardless of said times associated with any of the other ones of said at least two subscriber profiles;

initiating a timer to monitor the amount of time said selected subscriber profile has been activated; and

deactivating said selected subscriber profile and activating a second one of said at least two subscriber profiles in response to the expiration of said timer.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of:

deactivating a currently active one of said at least two subscriber profiles.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said selected subscriber profile is currently active, and wherein said step of setting further comprises the step of:

extending said time associated with said selected subscriber profile.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein said toggle message further includes a timer period for initializing said timer.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein said subscriber record further stores a timer period for initializing said timer.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein said step of receiving further comprises the step of:

sending said toggle message from a mobile station associated with said business indoor subscriber to said home location register.

23. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of:

determining whether said subscriber record has a toggle indication therein for indicating that said business indoor subscriber can request said home location register to activate said selected subscriber profile, said step of activating being performed when said toggle indication is present.

24. A home location register associated with a business indoor mobile subscriber that is associated with a business indoor cellular network, comprising:

a subscriber record for storing at least two different subscriber profiles associated with said business indoor subscriber, said at least two subscriber profiles each being associated with a respective type of network access and each being active at a respective time;

a toggle indication for indicating whether said business indoor subscriber can alter a presently active one of said at least two subscriber profiles;

an override indication for indicating a selected one of said at least two subscriber profiles is currently active regardless of said respective times associated with said at least two subscriber profiles, said override indication being set in response to receiving a toggle message from said business indoor subscriber; and

a timer for monitoring the amount of time said selected subscriber profile has been activated, said selected subscriber profile being deactivated and a second one of said at least two subscriber profile being activated in response to the expiration of said timer.

25. The home location register of claim 24, wherein said override indication is removed in response to said home location register deactivating said selected subscriber profile.