Multiple-protocol home location register and method of use

• US 7,522,632 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2001
• Issued: 04/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: La Porta, Thomas F., Sellinger, Robert Shaw, Murakami, Kazutaka, Sabnani, Krishan Kumar
• Primary Examiner(s): MARCELO, MELVIN C
• Application Number:
  US09/813,016
• Publication Number:
  US 20020167906A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,955 Days
• Field of Search: 370/252, 370/464, 370/465, 370/466, 370/467, 370/468, 370/469, 370/401, 455/433, 455/432.2, 455/414.2, 455/414.4
• US Class Current: 370/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A multiple-protocol home location register (MP HLR) comprises a processor, that generates network messages according to two or more network protocols and processes network requests and other messages to obtain information requested by two or more networks that support the two or more network protocols. One embodiment of the MP HLR (101) utilizes protocol gateways (211) that interpret network requests and generate, utilizing a common control procedures for multiple network protocols, queries to a database that provides a common source of data for supported networks. Another embodiment of an MP HLR (101) utilizes a mediation device (405) that generates and/or translates network messages according to multiple different network protocols and utilizes multiple HLRs (401, 403) or home agents, each supporting a different network protocol.

Claims

1. A multiple-protocol home location register comprising:

a receiver for receiving, from a requesting network of at least two requesting networks, a network request according to one of at least two network protocols;

a processor, within the multiple-protocol home location register, for processing the network request utilizing a common source of data and common control procedures for the at least two network protocols to obtain information requested by the network request;

a transmitter, operably coupled to the processor, for relaying the requested information to the requesting network;

a standalone HLR for each wireless network of the at least two requesting networks;

a server for each wireline network of the at least two requesting networks;

wherein the processor comprises a provisioning gateway configured to distribute user data between the standalone HLR and the server within the multiple-protocol home location register;

wherein the processor comprises a mediation device coupled to the provisioning gateway, the standalone HLR, and the server;

wherein the mediation device is configured to one or more of generate network messages, translate network messages, and emulate one or more of gateway mobile switching centers, visited mobile switching centers, and message centers.

2. The multiple-protocol home location register of claim 1, wherein the processor comprises one or more application gateways, operably coupled to a database that provides a common source of data, wherein the one or more application gateways are arranged and constructed to interpret messages and generate, utilizing the common control procedures, one or more queries to the database.

3. A method comprising the steps of:

receiving, by a multiple-protocol home location register, a network request from a requesting network of at least two requesting networks, where in the network request is composed according to one of at least two network protocols, wherein the multiple-protocol home location register comprises a provisioning gateway, a mediation device, a standalone HLR for each wireless network of the at least two requesting networks, and a server for each wireline network of the at least two requesting networks;

processing the network request through employment of the provisioning gateway to obtain user data for the network request;

relaying the user data to the requesting network;

wherein the step of processing comprises the steps of;

interpreting the network request according to rules associated with one of the at least two network protocols;

generating a common command related to the network request;

generating at least one query related to the network request through employment of the common command and relaying the at least one query to a subscriber database;

receiving the requested information from the subscriber database.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of processing further comprises the step of providing an interworking function between the two or more protocols.

5. A method comprising the steps of:

receiving, by a first standalone home location register, a first message from a first network utilizing a first network protocol of a plurality of network protocols;

interpreting the first message according to rules associated with the first network protocol;

generating a command based on the interpretation of the first message through employment of a mediation device, wherein the command is one of a set of commands utilized by a database manager, the first protocol gateway, and a second protocol gateway;

generating at least one query based on the command and relaying the at least one query to a subscriber database by a provisioning gateway;

receiving at least one response to the at least one query related to the first message;

relaying the at least one response to the first network.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

receiving, by the first standalone home location register, a second message from a second network utilizing a second network protocol of the plurality of network protocols;

interpreting the second message according to rules associated with the second network protocol;

generating a second command based on the interpretation of the first message through employment of the mediation device;

generating at least another query related to the second command and relaying the at least another query related to the message to the subscriber database by the provisioning gateway;

receiving at least one response to the at least another query related to the second message;

relaying, to the second network, the at least one response to the at least another query related to the second message.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the steps of interpreting and generating are common to the first standalone home location register and the second standalone home location register.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of receiving the message terminates the network protocol.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the rules associated with the network protocol comprise at least one communication standard.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein the plurality of network protocols comprises at least two of ANSI-41, GSM MAP, SIP, H.323, AAA, and M-IP.

11. The method of claim 5, wherein the network protocols transport at least one of voice, data, and multimedia via at least one of wireline and wireless communication media.

12. The method of claim 5, wherein the subscriber database comprises data for a plurality of communication devices and data utilized by at least two networks.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the data comprises user profile information.

14. The method of claim 5, further comprising the steps of generating at least another query related to a message from an application server and upon receiving a response to the at least another query, relaying the response to the application server.

15. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of providing an interworking function between the first network protocol and a second network protocol.

16. A method comprising the steps of:

receiving a message from a first network via a first standalone home location register;

processing the message according to a procedure common to the first standalone home location register, a mediation device, and a provisioning gateway;

generating at least one database query based on the processed message by the provisioning gateway;

relaying the at least one database query to the database comprising data common to a first network associated with the first standalone home location register and a second network associated with the second standalone home location register;

receiving a response to the at least one database query and generating a request to the second standalone home location register;

receiving a reply to the request to the second standalone home location register;

generating a message based on the reply;

relaying the message to the first standalone home location register.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the response identifies the second standalone home location register.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the response identifies a location for a communication device.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the reply includes routing information.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of utilizing the routing information to route a call to a communication device located in a coverage area of the second network.