System and method of messaging using MIN escape codes

• US 7,113,802 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2003
• Issued: 09/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Sliva, Vladimir P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Appiah, Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): Torres, Marcos L.
• Application Number:
  US10/447,094
• Publication Number:
  US 20040242245A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,217 Days
• Field of Search: 455/466, 455/565, 455410-411, 455/435.1, 455560-561, 455/458, 4554321-4323, 455/433, 455/550.1, 455/552.1
• 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 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/04 Interfaces between hierarchically different network devices

Abstract

A method providing communication between an MSC and a mobile terminal in a wireless communications system including using the 10 digit MIN identifier for identifying the mobile terminal in all messages requiring a mobile terminal identifier sent from the MSC via a base station to the mobile terminal and using the 15 digit MIN-based IMSI identifier for identifying the mobile terminal in all messages requiring a mobile terminal identifier sent from the mobile terminal via the base station to the MSC. The method can also include deploying the use of 15 digit MIN-based IMSI identifiers in one MSC at a time. The invention also includes a system for providing mobile terminal identification information in a wireless system. The system includes a mobile terminal capable of receiving and responding to messages using a 10 digit MIN for identifying the mobile terminal and sending messages having a MIN-based IMSI identifier for identifying the mobile terminal. The system also includes an MSC capable of receiving and processing messages from the mobile terminal having the MIN-based IMSI identifier and sending messages to the mobile terminal using the 10 digit MIN identifier.

Claims

1. A method of providing communication between a mobile terminal and a wireless communications system including a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) and a base station comprising:

using a 10 digit Mobile Identity Number (MIN) identifier for identifying the mobile terminal in messages using a mobile terminal identifier sent from the MSC to the mobile terminal;

using a 15 digit MIN-based International Mobile Station Identity (IMSI) identifier for identifying the mobile terminal in messages using a mobile terminal identifier sent from the mobile terminal to the MSC, wherein the 15 digit MIN-based IMSI includes a 5 digit MIN Escape Code (MEC) and the MIN;

collecting 5 digit MECs programmed in mobile terminals communicating directly with their home systems;

collecting 5 digit MEC programmed in mobile terminals visiting visited systems;

comparing the collected MECs with the MECs stored in the system;

determining which collected MECs are incorrect;

determining which mobile terminals have incorrect MECs; and

correcting the MECs for mobile terminals having incorrect MECs.

2. A method of providing communication between Mobile Switching Centers (MSCs) and mobile terminals in a wireless communications system comprising:

sending messages from the MSCs to the mobile terminals using 10 digit identifiers for identifying the mobile terminals, the 10 digit identifiers being Mobile Identity Numbers;

sending messages from the mobile terminals to the MSCs using 15 digit identifiers for identifying the mobile terminals, the 15 digit identifiers being Mobile Identity Number-based International Mobile Station Identities including 5 digit Mobile Identity Number Escape Codes and the Mobile Identity Numbers;

collecting Mobile Identity Number Escape Codes programmed in the mobile terminals; and

correcting incorrect Mobile Identity Number Escape Codes in mobile terminals while providing uninterrupted service to the mobile terminals.

3. The method defined in claim 2 wherein the correcting step is performed before sending both the Mobile Identity Number Escape Codes and the Mobile Identity Numbers in the mobile terminal identifiers sent in both directions between the MSCs and mobile terminals.

4. The method defined in claim 2 wherein the messages sent in the step of sending messages from the mobile terminals to the MSCs are in response to the messages sent in the step of sending messages from the MSCs to the mobile terminals.