System and method for application location register routing in a telecommunications network

• US 7,079,853 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2003
• Issued: 07/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alcatel USA Sourcing L.P. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel USA Sourcing L.P. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Rathnasabapathy, Rajan, Cook, Russell R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui, Bing Q.
• Application Number:
  US10/407,548
• Publication Number:
  US 20030199281A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,201 Days
• Field of Search: 455/443, 455/445, 455/461, 455/560, 379/221.01, 379/221.1
• US Class Current: 455/461
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13097 Numbering, addressing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13098 Mobile subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13102 Common translator
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13104 Central control, computer control
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13164 Traffic (registration, measurement,...)
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13176 Common channel signaling, CCS7
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13342 Arrangement of switches in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13345 Intelligent networks, SCP
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 Provisions for signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/66 Traffic distributors
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/12 between location registers or mobility servers

Abstract

A system and method for application location register routing at a signal transfer point (26) are provided. The signal transfer point (26) includes processor clusters (64, 66, 68) and databases (236, 238) for processing queries including global title translation, local number portability, and application location register routing. A query message is received by the signal transfer point (26), a first database residing in the signal transfer point (26) is accessed to determine the location of a second database (238) also residing in the signal transfer point for processing the query message. The second database (238) is then accessed to obtain the network address of a home location register or short message service center, which is then used to deliver the query message to the network node specified by the network address.

Claims

1. A signal transfer point for use in a mobile telecommunications network, inducing responding to a query message, comprising:

a first processor operable to obtain from the query message an identifier for a specific mobile subscriber;

an application location register routing database in the signal transfer point, appropriate to be searched for the identifier so as to determine a network address of a network node associated with the specific mobile subscriber; and

a second processor operable to access the application location register routing database, based at least partially on information in the query message, and search for the identifier and determine the network address, to enable the query message to be forwarded for further processing by the network node associated with the specific mobile subscriber.

2. The signal transfer point of claim 1, further comprising a link operable to forward the query message for further processing by the network node associated with the specific mobile subscriber.

3. The signal transfer point of claim 1, wherein the network node comprises a home location register.

4. The signal transfer point of claim 1, wherein the network node comprises a short message service center.

5. The signal transfer point of claim 1, wherein the network node is for a service associated with the specific mobile subscriber.

6. The signal transfer point of claim 1, in which the information in the query message includes a translation type.

7. The signal transfer point of claim 1, wherein the application location register routing database comprises a table.

8. The signal transfer point of claim 1, wherein the network address comprises a global title translation destination network address.

9. The signal transfer point of claim 1, wherein the identifier comprises at least a portion of an IMSI sufficient to identify the specific mobile customer in the network.

10. The signal transfer point of claim 1, wherein the identifier comprises at least a portion of an MSISDN sufficient to be identified with the specific mobile customer in the network.

11. The signal transfer point of claim 1, wherein the first processor is operable to include SCCP processing to obtain from the query message the identifier.

12. A method of processing a query message in a signal transfer point of a mobile telecommunications network comprising:

obtaining from the query message an identifier for a specific mobile subscriber;

based at least partially on information in the query message, accessing an application location register routing database in the signal transfer point, appropriate to be searched in relation to the query message;

searching the application location register routing database for the identifier;

determining, by the searching for the identifier, a network address of a network node associated with the specific mobile subscriber; and

forwarding the query message to the network node associated with the specific mobile subscriber for further processing.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the network address comprises a global title translation destination network address.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the identifier comprises at least a portion of an IMSI sufficient to identify the specific mobile customer in the network.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the identifier comprises at least a portion of an MSISDN sufficient to be identified with the specific mobile customer in the network.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the obtaining step comprises SCCP processing.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the network node comprises a home location register.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the network node comprises a short message service center.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the network node is for a service associated with the specific mobile subscriber.

20. The method of claim 12, in which the information in the query message includes a translation type.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of searching the application location register routing database comprises searching a table.