Method for allowing access to services offered by an intelligent mobile communications network

• US 8,238,904 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2005
• Issued: 08/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telecom Italia S.p.A.
• Original Assignee: Telecom Italia S.p.A.
• Inventors: Muratore, Giuliano, Pelliccia, Pier Camillo, Zaccagnini, Alberto
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ajit
• Assistant Examiner(s): Navar, Erica
• Application Number:
  US11/919,222
• Publication Number:
  US 20100062762A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,660 Days
• Field of Search: 4554321-444, 455/515, 370331-335
• US Class Current: 455/432.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 Provisions for signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0045 involving hybrid, i.e. a mixture of public and private, or multi-vendor systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

A method of making network services available to a subscriber of a first mobile communications network when the subscriber roams in a second mobile communications network. The method includes: intercepting a signaling message issued by a service switching function of the second mobile communications network as a consequence to a service request by the subscriber; checking the intercepted signaling message; and based on the check, updating the intercepted signaling message so as to include service addressing data adapted to invoke a service in the first mobile communications network.

Claims

1. A method of making network services available to a subscriber of a first mobile communications network when the subscriber roams in a second mobile communications network, comprising:

intercepting in the first mobile communications network a signaling message issued by a service switching function of the second mobile communications network as a consequence to a service request by the subscriber, the signaling message including service addressing data comprising an address of a service control function in the first mobile communications network, a service code, and a service key, the intercepting occurring before the signaling message reaches the service control function;

parsing the signaling message, wherein said parsing comprises searching for the presence of an admissible service code by comparing the service code with a list of admissible service codes in a service codes database;

if an admissible service code is not present, forwarding the signaling message; and

if an admissible service code is present, modifying the signaling message by replacing the service addressing data with an address corresponding to the admissible service code, and replacing the service key with a service key corresponding to the admissible service code.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said signaling message comprises a customized application for mobile network enhanced logic application protocol initial data protocol signaling message issued by the second mobile communications network to the first mobile communications network.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said parsing the intercepted signaling message comprises checking a field of the customized application for mobile network enhanced logic application protocol initial data protocol signaling message adapted to carry a telephony number associated with said service request.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said network services comprise intelligent network services.

5. A mobile communications network comprising network apparatuses adapted to make network services available to a subscriber of the mobile communications network when the subscriber roams in a visited mobile communications network,

wherein the network apparatuses in the mobile communications network comprise a service addressing function comprising:

a signaling message interceptor adapted to intercept a signaling message issued by a service switching function of the visited mobile communications network as a consequence to a service request by the subscriber, the signaling message including service addressing data comprising an address of a service control function in the first mobile communications network, a service code, and a service key, the signaling message interceptor being arranged to intercept the signaling message before the signaling message reaches the service control function;

a signaling message parser adapted to search for the presence of an admissible service code by comparing the service code with a list of admissible service codes in a service codes database; and

a signaling message modifier adapted to modify, if the admissible service code is present, the intercepted signaling message by replacing the service addressing data with an address corresponding to the admissible service code, and replacing the service key with a service key corresponding to the admissible service code.

6. The mobile communications network according to claim 5, wherein said address corresponding to the admissible service code comprises a modified address of the service control function in the mobile communications network.

7. The mobile communications network according to claim 6, wherein said service key corresponding to the admissible service code comprises a modified service key identifying said service.

8. The mobile communications network according to claim 5, wherein said signaling message comprises a customized application for mobile network enhanced logic application protocol initial data protocol signaling message issued by the visited mobile communications network to the mobile communications network.

9. The mobile communications network according to claim 8, wherein said signaling message parser is adapted to check a field of the customized application for mobile network enhanced logic application protocol initial data protocol signaling message carrying a telephony number associated with said service request.

10. The mobile communications network according to claim 5, wherein said network services comprise intelligent network services.

11. An apparatus for use in a mobile communications network, comprising:

a signaling message interceptor adapted to intercept a signaling message received by the mobile communications network, and issued from a service switching function of a visited mobile communications network in which a subscriber of the mobile communications network is roaming as a consequence to a service request by the subscriber, the signaling message including service addressing data comprising an address of a service control function in the first mobile communications network a service code, and a service key, the signaling message interceptor being arranged to intercept the signaling message before the signaling message reaches the service control function;

a signaling message parser adapted to search for the presence of an admissible service code by comparing the service code with a list of admissible service codes in a service codes database; and

a signaling message modifier adapted to modify, if the admissible service code is present, the intercepted signaling message by replacing the service addressing data with an address corresponding to the admissible service code, and replacing the service key with a service key corresponding to the admissible service code.