Method, system and computer program product for countering anti-traffic redirection

• US 7,590,417 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2006
• Issued: 09/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mobileum, Incorporated fka Roamware
• Original Assignee: Mobileum, Incorporated fka Roamware
• Inventors: Jiang, John Yue Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisen; Alexander
• Assistant Examiner(s): CAI, WAYNE HUU
• Application Number:
  US11/374,427
• Publication Number:
  US 20060246897A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,281 Days
• Field of Search: 455/433, 455/456, 455/435.1, 455/456.1, 455/435.2, 455/432.3
• US Class Current: 455/432.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/10 Flow control between communication endpoints
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/04 using triggered events
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/06 Registration at serving network Location Register, VLR or user mobility server
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/12 between location registers or mobility servers
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems

Abstract

A method and system for countering anti-traffic redirection of a roaming mobile station is provided. Observing registration messages exchanged between the visiting network and the home network, the disclosed invention detects if the visiting network has deployed an anti-traffic-redirection mechanism as aimed at fooling the home network into permitting connection with a non-preferred network. The invention also provides for a way to steer the roamer to reattempt connection with a preferred network.

Claims

1. A method for countering an anti-traffic redirection of a roaming mobile station in a Visiting Public Mobile Network (VPMN) by a Home Public Mobile Network (HPMN), the method comprising the steps of:

detecting a forced connection of the roaming mobile station to a non-preferred VPMN by observing exchange of at least one registration message between the VPMN and the HPMN and checking a number of LUP messages received within a configurable threshold time interval;

statistically configuring the threshold time interval based on the number of LUP messages received within the configurable threshold time interval; and

steering the roaming mobile station to reinitiate a registration attempt with a preferred VPMN.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the forced connection comprises passively monitoring the exchange of registration messages between the VPMN and the HPMN.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the forced connection comprises actively monitoring the exchange of registration messages between the VPMN and the HPMN.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein steering the roaming mobile station comprises sending a Location Update Reject registration message in response to a predefined number of LUP messages received within the configurable threshold time interval.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the predefined number of LUP messages is one or more.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the configurable threshold time interval is 15 seconds.