Anti-traffic redirection system

• US 7,684,793 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2006
• Issued: 03/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mobileum, Incorporated fka Roamware
• Original Assignee: Mobileum, Incorporated fka Roamware
• Inventors: Jiang, John Yue Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): Bhattacharya; Sam
• Application Number:
  US11/374,437
• Publication Number:
  US 20060246898A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,470 Days
• Field of Search: 455/432.1, 455/433, 455/435.1
• US Class Current: 455/432.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks

Abstract

A system for controlling traffic between a Home Public Mobile Network (HPMN) and a Visiting Public Mobile Network (VPMN) of a roaming mobile station is provided. The system includes a TR probe for detecting a traffic redirection (TR) attempt for the roaming mobile station, by observing exchange of at least one registration message between the VPMN and the HPMN. The system further includes an anti-TR unit for thwarting the TR attempt by sending one or more registration response messages in response to the at least one registration message received from a switch.

Claims

1. A method for controlling traffic between a Home Public Mobile Network (HPMN) and a Visiting Public Mobile Network (VPMN) of a roaming mobile station, the method comprising:

detecting a traffic redirection (TR) attempt for the roaming mobile station, by observing exchange of at least one registration message between the VPMN and the HPMN; and

thwarting the detected TR attempt.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the TR attempt for the roaming mobile station is initiated by the HPMN.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein detecting the TR attempt comprises monitoring passively the exchange of the at least one registration message between the HPMN and the VPMN.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein thwarting the TR attempt comprises sending one or more registration response messages in response to the at least one registration message, the one or more registration response message thwart the TR attempt.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the one or more registration response messages are one or more location update (LU) messages sent on behalf of the roaming mobile station in response to at least one LU reject message as the at least one registration message.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the one or more LU messages are sent to the HPMN at a configurable interval of time.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the one or more registration response messages are sent to the HPMN greater than an expected number of times.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein detecting the TR attempt comprises monitoring actively the exchange of the at least one registration message between the HPMN and the VPMN.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein thwarting the TR attempt comprises sending one or more registration response messages in response to the at least one registration message.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more registration response messages are one or more location update (LU) messages sent on behalf of the roaming mobile station in response to at least one LU reject message as the at least one registration message.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more LU messages are sent to the HPMN at a configurable interval of time.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein a MAP ISD ACK message is sent on behalf of the roaming mobile station in response to a MAP ISD message being observed as the at least one registration message subsequent to observing a MAP LUP message from the HPMN.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the MAP ISD message comprises one of a RR, and RNA.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein one or more LU messages are sent on behalf of the roaming mobile station in response to one of a MAP LUP ACK message, a MAP Abort message and a TCAP Abort message being observed as the at least one registration message subsequent to observing a MAP LUP message from the HPMN.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the MAP LUP ACK message comprises one of a System Failure, Unexpected Data Value, RNA and Missing Data corresponding to the roaming mobile station.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the one or more LU messages are sent to the HPMN at a configurable interval of time.

17. The method of claim 8, wherein one of a TCAP abort and a TCAP reject is sent on behalf of the roaming mobile station in response to an OTA TR message being observed as the at least one registration message from the HPMN.

18. The method of claim 2, wherein one or more registration response messages are sent within the VPMN on behalf on the HPMN and in response to receipt of the at least one registration message sent by the HPMN.

19. The method of claim 2, wherein detecting the TR attempt comprises checking receipt of at least one of one or more error messages and one or more success messages from the HPMN in response to one or more registration response messages.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one of one or more error messages and one or more success messages are received intermittently within a configurable interval of time.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one of one or more error messages and one or more success messages form a ratio exceeding a configurable threshold.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the TR attempt for the roaming mobile station is initiated by the VPMN.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein detecting the TR attempt comprises monitoring actively the exchange of the at least one registration message between the HPMN and the VPMN.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein one or more LU request messages are sent as the one or more registration response messages in response to one of a MAP abort and a TCAP abort detected corresponding to at least one VPMN, wherein the one or more LU request messages are sent correspondingly on behalf of the at least one VPMN.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein thwarting the TR attempt further comprises sending one or more profile update messages for the roaming mobile station to the VPMN in response to corresponding one or more LU messages from one or more VLR subsequent to the roaming mobile station being registered with the VPMN.

26. A system for controlling traffic between a Home Public Mobile Network (HPMN) and a Visiting Public Mobile Network (VPMN) of a roaming mobile station, the system comprising:

a TR probe for detecting a traffic redirection (TR) attempt for the roaming mobile station, by observing exchange of at least one registration message between the VPMN and the HPMN; and

an anti-TR unit for thwarting the TR attempt by sending one or more registration response messages in response to the at least one registration message received from a switch.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the TR probe is integrated with the anti-TR unit.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the switch is a roaming STP configured to assist in exchange of the at least one registration message and the one or more registration response messages between the HPMN, and the anti-TR unit and TR probe.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein in a passive monitoring mode, the anti-TR unit sends one or more location update (LU) messages as the one or more registration response messages in response to at least one location update reject message from the switch, wherein the one or more location update messages are sent to the HPMN on behalf of the roaming mobile station.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the one or more LU messages are sent greater than an expected number of times to the HPMN.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the one or more LU messages are sent to the HPMN at a configurable interval of time.

32. The system of claim 26, wherein in active monitoring mode, the TR probe detects the at least one registration message as an OTA TR sent to the roaming mobile station by the HPMN for initiating the TR.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the anti-TR unit sends one of a TCAP abort and a TCAP reject as the one or more registration response messages in response to the OTA TR.

34. The system of claim 26, wherein in active monitoring mode, the anti-TR unit sends a MAP ISD ACK message as the one or more registration response messages on behalf of the HPMN when the at least one registration message is identified as one of a MAP ISD message, a MAP LUP ACK message and a MAP Abort message and are tracked by the TR probe subsequent to detecting a MAP LUP message from the HPMN, wherein the roaming mobile station is registered with the VPMN.

35. The system of claim 26, wherein in active monitoring mode, the anti-TR unit sends one or more LU request messages as the one or more registration response messages in response to one of a MAP abort and a TCAP abort detected corresponding to at least one VPMN, wherein the one or more LU request messages are sent correspondingly on behalf of at least one VPMN.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the one of a MAP abort and a TCAP abort are detected by the TR probe.

37. The system of claim 35, wherein the one or more LU request messages are sent to the HPMN at a configurable interval of time.

38. The system of claim 26, wherein in active monitoring mode, the anti-TR unit sends one or more LU messages as the one or more registration response messages to the HPMN when one of a MAP LUP ACK message comprising one of a System Failure, Unexpected Data Value, RNA and Missing Data corresponding to the roaming mobile station is detected by the TR probe.

39. The system of claim 26 further comprises a GLR for sending one or more profile update messages for the roaming mobile station to the VPMN in response to corresponding one or more LU messages from one or more VLR subsequent to the roaming mobile station being registered with the VPMN.

40. The system of claim 26, wherein one or more registration response messages are sent within the VPMN on behalf on the HPMN and in response to receipt of the at least one registration message sent by the HPMN.

41. The system of claim 26, wherein the TR probe detects the TR attempt by checking receipt of at least one of one or more error messages and one or more success messages from the HPMN in response to the one or more registration response messages associate with the roaming mobile station.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the at least one of one or more error messages and one or more success messages are received intermittently within a configurable interval of time.

43. The system of claim 41, wherein the at least one of one or more error messages and one or more success messages form a ratio exceeding a configurable threshold.

44. The system of claim 26, wherein the TR probe detects the TR attempt initiated by the HPMN by checking receipt of a LU rejection error in response to each of LU messages sent as the one or more registration response messages on behalf of the roaming mobile station.

45. The system of claim 26, wherein the TR probe detects the TR attempt initiated by the HPMN by checking receipt of an LU error with one of an RNA and an RR for one or more of times in response to an LU message sent to the HPMN and a subsequent receipt of an LU ACK message with success corresponding to a subsequent LU message.

46. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium including a computer usable program code for controlling traffic between a Home Public Mobile Network (HPMN) and a Visiting Public Mobile Network (VPMN) of a roaming mobile station, the computer program product comprising:

computer usable program code for detecting a traffic redirection (TR) attempt for the roaming. mobile station, by observing exchange of at least one registration message between the VPMN and the HPMN; and

computer usable program code for thwarting the TR attempt.

47. The computer program product of claim 46, wherein detecting the TR attempt comprises monitoring passively the exchange of the at least one registration message between the HPMN and the VPMN.

48. The computer program product of claim 47, wherein thwarting the TR attempt comprises sending one or more registration response messages in response to the registration message.

49. The computer program product of claim 46, wherein detecting the TR attempt comprises monitoring actively the exchange of the at least one registration message between the HPMN and the VPMN.

50. The computer program product of claim 49, wherein thwarting the TR attempt comprises sending one or more registration response messages in response to the registration message.

51. The computer program product of claim 50, wherein the one or more registration response messages are one or more location update (LU) messages sent on behalf of the roaming mobile station.

52. The computer program product of claim 51, wherein the one or more LU messages are sent to the HPMN at a configurable interval of time.

53. The computer program product of claim 49, wherein a MAP ISD ACK message is sent on behalf of the roaming mobile station in response to a MAP ISD message being observed as the at least one registration message subsequent to observing a MAP LUP message from the HPMN.

54. The computer program product of claim 50, wherein one or more LU messages are sent on behalf of the roaming mobile station in response to one of a MAP LUP ACK message, a MAP Abort message and a TCAP Abort message being observed as the at least one registration message subsequent to observing a MAP LUP message from the HPMN.

55. The computer program product of claim 54, wherein the one or more LU messages are sent to the HPMN at a configurable interval of time.

56. The computer program product of claim 50, wherein one of a TCAP abort and a TCAP reject is sent on behalf of the roaming mobile station in response to an OTA TR message being observed as the at least one registration message from the HPMN.

57. The computer program product of claim 46, wherein one or more registration response messages are sent within the VPMN on behalf on the HPMN and in response to receipt of the at least one registration message sent by the HPMN.

58. The computer program product of claim 46, wherein one or more LU request messages are sent as the one or more registration response messages in response to one of a MAP abort and a TCAP abort detected corresponding to at least one VPMN, wherein the one or more LU request messages are sent correspondingly on behalf of the at least one VPMN.

59. The computer program product of claim 46, wherein thwarting the TR attempt further comprises sending one or more profile update messages for the roaming mobile station to the VPMN in response to corresponding one or more LU messages from one or more VLR subsequent to the roaming mobile station being registered with the VPMN.

60. The computer program product of claim 46, wherein detecting the TR attempt comprises checking receipt of at least one of one or more error messages and one or more success messages from the HPMN in response to one or more registration response messages.