Roaming support method and systems in UMTS

• US 7,925,762 B1
• Filed: 08/10/2000
• Issued: 04/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: INVT SPE LLC (FIG LLC (d/b/a Fortress Investment Group LLC))
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Kauppinen, Risto, Tuunanen, Heikki
• Primary Examiner(s): Won, Michael
• Application Number:
  US10/343,707
• Time in Patent Office: 3,897 Days
• Field of Search: 709/227, 709/228, 709/238, 709/249, 709/203, 709/218, 709/220, 709/237, 455/432.1, 455/436, 370/328
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/12 between location registers or mobility servers

Abstract

The invention relates to a communication method and system wherein a network element of a roaming user is attachable to a visited first network and be served by a serving means of the home network. When the network element of the roaming user is registering or initiating a connection to a called network element of the visited network, a network element of the visited network, such as proxy means, either adds information on the called network element or on a service element of the visited network when sending a message to the home network. The message is preferably sent as a protocol message, in particular a message of the Session Initiation Protocol.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a second network element of a first network;

a third network element,

wherein the second network element is operationally connectable to a mobile network element which mobile network element roams to a first visited network, and the second network element is capable of accessing the third network element,

wherein the second network element is configured to receive a first message from the mobile network element used to register to the first network or to connect to the third network element or a network element of the first network,

wherein the second network element is configured as a proxy call state control function, the second network element is further configured to send a second message to the third network element configured as a serving call state control function, the second message comprising a registration, the second message further comprising additional information related to the handling or processing of a connection from the mobile network element to the network element of the first network, or related to an address of, or identifier identifying, a further network element of the first network,

wherein the third network element is configured to use the additional information for handling the connection or processing of at least one connection-related function, or to access the further network element, or to store the additional information and to provide the additional information upon request, and

wherein the second network element is configured to store a pointer pointing to a local service element of the first network.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the second network element is a proxy server.

3. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a second network element, a first message from a first network element configured to register to a first network or to connect to a third network element of a second network or to connect to a fourth network element of the first network, wherein the first network element is attachable to the first network and connectable to a second network element of the first network, and the second network element is capable of accessing the third network element located in the second network; and

sending, at the second network element configured as a proxy call state control function, a second message to the third network element configured as a serving call state control function, the second message further comprising additional information either related to the handling or processing of a connection from the first network element to the fourth network element, or related to an address or identifier identifying;

a further network element,

wherein the second network element is configured to store a pointer pointing to a local service element of the first network.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein:

the first message and the second message are each a session initiation protocol message.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein:

the first message is a registration message message.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein:

the first network element is a user equipment of a roaming user.

7. The method according to claim 3, wherein:

the third network element is a controller of the second network.

8. The method according to claim 3, wherein:

the first network is a network visited by a roaming user and the second network is the home network of the user.

9. The method according to claim 3, wherein:

the additional information is charging-related information, and wherein the additional information is service-class related information.

10. The method according to claim 3, wherein:

the additional information defines the available service capabilities of the visited network or network elements.

11. The method according to claim 3, wherein:

the additional information is a time zone.

12. The method according to claim 3, wherein:

the additional information is service interworking instructions of the visited network or network elements.

13. The method according to claim 3, wherein:

the additional information is an address of or a pointer pointing to a control element of the first network which contains the additional information.

14. An apparatus, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a first message from a further apparatus requesting registering to a network or getting connected to another apparatus or an additional apparatus; and

a transmitter configured to send a second message to the another apparatus, the second message comprising a registration, the second message further comprising additional information either related to the handling or processing of a connection from the further apparatus to the additional apparatus, or related to an address of or identifier identifying another apparatus,

wherein the apparatus is configured as a proxy call state control function, wherein the another apparatus is configured as a serving call state control function, the apparatus is further configured to store a pointer pointing to a local service element of the first network.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein:

the apparatus is a proxy server.

16. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein:

the apparatus is a redirect server.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive, from another apparatus in a local network, the other apparatus configured as a proxy call state control function, additional information either related to the handling or processing of a connection between the other apparatus in the local network, or related to an address of or identifier identifying a further apparatus, wherein the additional information is sent by the other apparatus when the other apparatus receives a registration message from a user element; and

a controller configured to use this additional information to handle the connection or processing of one or more connection-related functions, to access a further apparatus in the local network, or to store the additional information and to provide the stored additional information upon request,

wherein the additional information comprises information that is related to the local network or local network elements, and wherein the apparatus comprises a serving call state control function.

18. The apparatus, according to claim 17, wherein:

the apparatus is a controller of a network.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein:

the controller is a serving call state control function.

20. The apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising a register configured to store information on subscribers to the another apparatus.

21. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a third network element, a message from a second network element of a local network, the second network element configured as a proxy call state control function, the third network element comprising a serving call state control function, the message comprising a registration, the message further comprising additional information either related to the handling or processing of a connection from a first network element to a fourth network element, or related to an address of or identifier identifying a further network element, wherein the second network element of the local network is connectable to the first network element which first network element is attachable to the first network, and the second network element is capable of accessing the third network element located in a second network; and

using this additional information, at the third network element to handle the connection or to process one or more connection-related functions, to access the fourth network element, or to store the additional information and to provide the stored additional information upon request,

wherein the additional information comprises information that is related to the local network or local network elements.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein:

the third network element requests, after receiving the additional information, the a control element to send information on a network element to which the first network element requests to get connected, the control element responding thereto by returning such information.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein:

the first message and the second message are each a session initiation protocol message.

24. The method according to claim 21, wherein:

the third network element is a controller of the second network.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein:

the controller of the second network is a serving call state control function.

26. The method according to claim 21, wherein:

the third network element comprises a register storing information on subscribers to the second network.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein:

the register is a home location register or a home subscriber server.

28. The method according to claim 21, wherein:

the first network is a network visited by a roaming user and the second network is the home network of the user.

29. The method according to claim 21, wherein:

the additional information is a charging-related information, and wherein the additional information is a service-class-related information.

30. The method according to claim 21, wherein:

the additional information defines the available service capabilities of the visited network or network elements, and wherein the additional information is service interworking instructions of the visited network or network elements.

31. The method according to claim 21, wherein:

the additional information is a time zone, or is an address of or a pointer pointing to a control element of the first network which contains the additional information.

32. The method according to claim 31, wherein:

the third network element requests, after receiving the additional information, the control element to send information on a network element to which the first network element requests to get connected, the control element responding thereto by returning such information.

33. An apparatus, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a first message from a further apparatus requesting registering to a network or getting connected to another apparatus or an additional apparatus;

a transmitter configured to send a second message to a controller, the second message comprising a registration, the second message further comprising additional information either related to the handling or processing of a connection from the further apparatus to the additional apparatus, or related to an address of or identifier identifying another apparatus; and

a controller, at a serving call state control function, configured to use this additional information to handle the connection or to process of one or more connection-related functions, to access a further apparatus, or to store the additional information and to provide the stored additional information upon request,

wherein the apparatus is configured as a proxy call state control function, the apparatus is further configured to store a pointer pointing to a local service element of a network.