Virtual visitor location register for a wireless local area network

• US 7,805,161 B1
• Filed: 08/20/2003
• Issued: 09/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Delker, Jason R., Everson, John M., Jones, Bryce A.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TUAN HOANG
• Application Number:
  US10/644,513
• Time in Patent Office: 2,596 Days
• Field of Search: 455/452.1, 455/552.1, 455/555, 455/426.1, 455/426.2, 455/432.1, 455/435.1, 455/462, 455/554.1
• US Class Current: 455/555
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13093 Personal computer, PC
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13098 Mobile subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13109 Initializing, personal profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13166 Fault prevention
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13196 Connection circuit/link/trunk/junction, bridge, router, gateway
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1322 PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1328 Call transfer, e.g. in PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13292 Time division multiplexing, TDM
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13294 CDMA, code division multiplexing, i.e. combinations of H04Q2213/13291 and/or H04Q2213/13292 with space division
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13298 Local loop systems, access network
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13345 Intelligent networks, SCP
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13384 Inter-PBX traffic, PBX networks, e.g. corporate networks
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/02 Hierarchically pre-organised networks, e.g. paging networks, cellular networks, WLAN [Wireless Local Area Network] or WLL [Wireless Local Loop]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/105 PBS [Private Base Station] network H04W84/12 - H04W84/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/06 between gateways and public network devices

Abstract

A multi-mode mobile station is able to wirelessly communicate with a wireless wide area network (WWAN) and with a wireless local area network (WLAN). The WLAN includes a “virtual” visitor location register (VVLR) for storing information about multi-mode mobile stations being served by the WLAN. The VVLR communicates with a home location register (HLR) in the WWAN in order to facilitate roaming between the WWAN and WLAN by the multi-mode mobile station.

Claims

1. A wireless local area network (WLAN) for providing wireless telecommunications services to a multi-mode mobile station, said multi-mode mobile station being able to wirelessly communicate with a wireless wide area network (WWAN) when operating in a first wireless coverage area, said WWAN including a first data register that contains a first data record for said multi-mode mobile station, wherein said first data register is a home location register (HLR), said WLAN comprising:

at least one wireless access point providing a second wireless coverage area, said multi-mode mobile station being able to wirelessly communicate with said at least one wireless access point when said multi-mode mobile station operates in said second wireless coverage area;

a private branch exchange (PBX) communicatively coupled to said at least one wireless access point; and

a second data register co-located with said PBX and communicatively coupled to said first data register, wherein said second data register stores a second data record for said multi-mode mobile station when said multi-mode mobile station operates in said second wireless coverage area, said second data register being configured to transmit at least one mobility management message to said first data register, whereby said at least one mobility management message facilitates roaming between said first and second wireless coverage areas by said multi-mode mobile station.

2. The WLAN of claim 1, wherein said PBX is communicatively coupled to a packet-switched network.

3. The WLAN of claim 1, wherein said PBX is communicatively coupled to a circuit-switched telephone network.

4. The WLAN of claim 1, wherein said at least one mobility management message includes a registration message that said second data register sends to said first data register when said multi-mode mobile station operates in said wireless coverage area, said registration message identifying said multi-mode mobile station.

5. The WLAN of claim 1, wherein said at least one mobility management message includes a routing message, said routing message including routing information to route a call to said multi-mode mobile station.

6. The WLAN of claim 5, wherein said routing information includes a directory number associated with said PBX.

7. The WLAN of claim 5, wherein said routing information includes a directory number associated with a media gateway communicatively coupled to said WLAN via a packet-switched network.

8. The WLAN of claim 5, wherein said routing information includes an Internet Protocol (IP) address of said PBX.

9. The WLAN of claim 5, wherein said routing information includes an Internet Protocol (IP) address of said multi-mode mobile station.

10. The WLAN of claim 1, wherein said second data register is a virtual visitor location register.