Methods and systems for allowing global roaming between devices supported by different protocols

• US 7,822,416 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2003
• Issued: 10/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Xiong, Ming, Murakami, Kazutaka, La Porta, Thomas, Isukapalli, Ramana, Chen, Kuo-Wei, Alexiou, Triantafyllos
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Miller, Brandon J
• Application Number:
  US10/435,015
• Publication Number:
  US 20040229608A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,724 Days
• Field of Search: 455/432.1, 455/432.2, 455/433, 455/445, 455/446, 455/435.1, 370/353, 370/352, 370/401, 370/466, 370/467, 379/219, 379/220.01
• US Class Current: 455/432.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/10 between location register and external networks
• 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 88/18 Service support devices; Network management devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

Techniques are provided to allow global roaming between different devices in different networks, using different protocols. A system may contain one or more protocol dependent logic servers (PDLSs), in which each PDLS is associated with a particular network/network protocol. The networks may comprise one or more wired telecommunications networks, wireless communications networks, or Internet-based networks. When a first PDLS receives an incoming, protocol-dependent message comprising a first protocol from a first network intended for a user currently registered on another network, the first PDLS converts the protocol-dependent message into an incoming, protocol-independent message and forwards it to another network element, such as a core logic server (CLS). The CLS processes the incoming, protocol-independent message, generates an appropriate outgoing protocol-independent message and forwards this message to a second PDLS. The second PDLS converts the outgoing, protocol-independent message to an appropriate outgoing, protocol-dependent message and forwards it to a second network operating using a second protocol. The conversion of incoming, protocol-independent messages into outgoing, protocol-independent messages eventually enables a link to be established between the two networks operating using different protocols.

Claims

1. A system for allowing global roaming between devices in wired and wireless networks, comprising a first protocol dependent logic server (PDLS) associated with each network, operable to:

receive a first, incoming protocol-dependent message in a first mobility management protocol originating from a first network;

convert the first, incoming protocol-dependent message to a first, incoming protocol-independent message which includes a value that indicates tasks to be performed within the system;

forward the first, incoming protocol-independent message to a first network module;

receive a first, outgoing protocol-independent message that includes routing information for a mobile user;

convert the first, outgoing protocol-independent message into an appropriate, outgoing protocol-dependent message in the first mobility management protocol; and

forward the appropriate, outgoing protocol dependent message to the first network.

2. The system as in claim 1 further comprising a second PDLS operable to:

receive a second, outgoing protocol-independent message which includes a value that indicates tasks to be performed within the system;

convert the second, outgoing protocol-independent message into an appropriate, outgoing protocol-dependent message in a second mobility management protocol; and

forward the appropriate, outgoing protocol-dependent message in the second mobility management protocol to a second network.

3. The system as in claim 1 further comprising a second PDLS operable to:

receive a second, incoming protocol-dependent message in a second mobility management protocol originating from a second network;

convert the second, incoming protocol-dependent message into a second, incoming protocol-independent message which includes a value that indicates tasks to be performed within the system; and

forward the second, incoming protocol-independent message to a second network module.

4. The system as in claim 1 further comprising:

a core logic server (CLS) operable to;

receive one or more incoming, protocol-independent messages; and

convert each received incoming, protocol-independent message into at least one outgoing, protocol-independent message,

wherein the conversion of an incoming, protocol-independent message into an outgoing, protocol-independent message eventually enables a link to be established between networks operating using different mobility management protocols.

5. The system as in claim 1 further comprising an interface for transferring an outgoing or incoming protocol-independent message between the first PDLS and a CLS.

6. The system as in claim 2 further comprising an interface for transferring an outgoing or incoming protocol-independent message between the second PDLS and a CLS.

7. The system as in claim 1 further comprising a core database server (CDS) operable to manage a plurality of a user'"'"'s profiles.

8. The system as in claim 1 further comprising a user database for storing a user'"'"'s profiles for each network associated with the user.

9. The system as in claim 4, wherein the CLS is further operable to request user location information from a core database server (CDS), wherein the user location information comprises information used to determine where to route a protocol-independent message.

10. The system as in claim 4, wherein the CLS is further operable to use operational profiles to determine where to route a protocol-independent message.

11. The system as in claim 9 wherein the user location information comprises user preferences.

12. The system as in claim 1, wherein each of the protocol-independent messages comprises at least one message selected from a group consisting of a terminal registration message, a call routing and delivery message, and a short message service message.

13. The system as in claim 1 wherein the first PDLS is further operable to exchange user location information or profiles with a user database.

14. The system as in claim 1 wherein the first network comprises a network selected from the group consisting of a wired, wireless and Internet network.

15. The system as in claim 2 wherein the second network comprises a network selected from the group consisting of a wired, wireless and Internet network.

16. The system as in claim 3 wherein the second network comprises a network selected from the group consisting of a wired, wireless and Internet network.

17. A method for allowing global roaming between devices in wired and wireless networks comprising:

receiving a first, incoming protocol-dependent message in a first mobility management protocol originating from a first network at a first protocol dependent logic server (PDLS) associated with said first network;

converting the first, incoming protocol-dependent message to a first, incoming protocol-independent message which includes a value that indicates tasks to be performed by one or more of the devices within the networks at the first PDLS;

forwarding the first, incoming protocol-independent message to a first network module;

receiving a first, outgoing protocol-independent message that includes routing information for a mobile user;

converting the first, outgoing protocol-independent message into an appropriate, outgoing protocol-dependent message in the first mobility management protocol; and

forwarding the appropriate, outgoing protocol dependent message to the first network.

18. The method as in claim 17 further comprising:

receiving a second, outgoing protocol-independent message which includes a value that indicates tasks to be performed by one or more of the devices within the networks at a second PDLS;

converting the second, outgoing protocol-independent message into an appropriate, outgoing protocol-dependent message in a second mobility management protocol at the second PDLS; and

forwarding the appropriate, outgoing protocol-dependent message in the second mobility management protocol to a second network.

19. The method as in claim 17 further comprising:

receiving a second, incoming protocol-dependent message in a second mobility management protocol originating from a second network which includes a value that indicates tasks to be performed by one or more of the devices within the networks at a second PDLS;

converting the second, incoming protocol-dependent message into a second, incoming protocol-independent message at the second PDLS; and

forwarding the second, incoming protocol-independent message to a second network module.

20. The method as in claim 17 further comprising:

receiving one or more incoming, protocol-independent messages; and

converting each received incoming, protocol-independent message into at least one outgoing, protocol-independent message,

wherein the conversion of an incoming, protocol-independent message into an outgoing, protocol-independent message eventually enables a link to be established between networks operating using different mobility management protocols.

21. The method as in claim 17 further comprising transferring an outgoing or incoming protocol-independent message between the first protocol-dependent logic server (PDLS) and a core logic server (CLS).

22. The method as in claim 18 further comprising transferring an outgoing or incoming protocol-independent message between the second PDLS and a CLS.

23. The method as in claim 19 further comprising transferring an outgoing or incoming protocol-independent message between the second PDLS and a CLS.

24. The method as in claim 17 further comprising managing a plurality of a user'"'"'s profiles.

25. The method as in claim 17 further comprising storing a user'"'"'s profiles for each network associated with the user.

26. The method as in claim 20 further comprising requesting user location information from a core database server (CDS), wherein the user location information comprises information used to determine where to route a protocol-independent message.

27. The method as in claim 20 further comprising using operational profiles to determine where to route a protocol-independent message.

28. The method as in claim 26 wherein the user location information comprises user preferences.

29. The method as in claim 17, wherein each of the protocol-independent messages comprises at least one message selected from a group consisting of a terminal registration message, a call routing and delivery message, and a short message service message.

30. The method as in claim 17 wherein further comprising exchanging user location information or profiles with a user database.

31. The method as in claim 17 wherein the first network comprises a network selected from the group consisting of a wired, wireless and Internet network.

32. The method as in claim 18 wherein the second network comprises a network selected from the group consisting of a wired, wireless and Internet network.

33. The method as in claim 19 wherein the second network comprises a network selected from the group consisting of a wired, wireless and Internet network.

34. A system for allowing global roaming between devices in wired and wireless networks comprising:

a first protocol dependent logic server (PDLS) associated with each network operable to;

receive a first, incoming protocol-dependent message in a first mobility management protocol originating from a first network,

convert the first, incoming protocol-dependent message to a first, incoming protocol-independent message which includes a value that indicates tasks to be performed by one or more of the devices within the networks,

forward the first, incoming protocol-independent message to a first network module,

receive a first, outgoing protocol-independent message which also includes a value that indicates tasks to be performed by one or more of the devices and routing information for a mobile user,

convert the first, outgoing protocol-independent message into an appropriate, outgoing protocol-dependent message in the first mobility management protocol, and

forward the appropriate, outgoing protocol dependent message to the first network; and

a second PDLS operable to;

receive a second, incoming protocol-dependent message in a second mobility management protocol originating from a second network,

convert the second, incoming protocol-dependent message into a second, incoming protocol-independent message which also includes a value that indicates tasks to be performed by one or more of the devices, and

forward the second, incoming protocol-independent message to a second network module.