Method and apparatus for concurrent registration of voice and data subscribers

• US 8,306,529 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2006
• Issued: 11/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Sharma, Alok
• Primary Examiner(s): Edouard, Patrick
• Assistant Examiner(s): CASCA, FRED A
• Application Number:
  US11/521,645
• Publication Number:
  US 20080070555A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,244 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/433, 455/78, 455/435.1, 455/426.1, 455/556.1, 455/411, 455/410, 455/13.2, 370/349, 370/328, 370/338, 370/352, 370/431, 370/503, 713/202
• US Class Current: 455/433
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0892 by using authentication-authorization-accounting [AAA] servers or protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/12 between location registers or mobility servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

This invention provides an innovative way of providing voice and data registration of multimode (voice and data) handset subscribers at a common place. The unified subscriber data server provides a flexible mechanism to provide concurrent registration for voice and data on the same platform, to store the subscription data (for voice and data subscribers) at a common place, and to perform call-processing on the same box where the data is stored.

Claims

1. A multimode mobile station registration method comprising:

receiving an authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) query from an external server at a RADIUS server process on a unified subscriber data server control function platform, wherein the unified subscriber data server control function platform maintains class of service information about active protocol registrations and performs concurrent data network registration and voice network registration for multimode subscribers;

forwarding the AAA query to a AAA control function application on the unified subscriber data server control function platform;

requesting data relating to the AAA query from a data function application on the unified subscriber data server data function platform;

receiving data relating to the AAA query from the data function application;

returning a response to the AAA query to the RADIUS server process;

forwarding the response to the AAA query to the external server.

2. The method defined in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a mobile application part (MAP) request from a serving mobile switching center/visiting location register (MSC/VLR) at the unified subscriber data server control function platform;

forwarding the MAP request to a home location register (HLR) control function application on the unified subscriber data server control function platform;

requesting data relating to the MAP request from the data function application on the data function platform;

receiving data relating to the MAP request from the data function application; and

returning a response to the MAP request to the serving MSC/VLR.

3. An apparatus for concurrent registration of a multimode mobile station, the apparatus comprising:

a unified subscriber data server control function platform including a RADIUS server process, a RADIUS server platform monitor process, a RADIUS control function application, and a home location register control function application, wherein the unified subscriber data server control function platform maintains class of service information about active protocol registrations and performs concurrent data network registration and voice network registration for multimode subscribers, wherein the unified subscriber data server control function platform is operative to;

receive an authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) query from an external server at the RADIUS server process on the centralized server;

forward the AAA query to a AAA control function application on a centralized server;

request data relating to the AAA query from the data function application on the centralized server;

receive data relating to the AAA query from the data function application;

return a response to the AAA query to the RADIUS server process;

forward the response to the AAA query to the external server; and

a unified subscriber data server data function platform including a data function application and a database.

4. The apparatus defined in claim 3, wherein the unified subscriber data server control function platform further includes a RADIUS server management tool.

5. The apparatus defined in claim 3, wherein the RADIUS server process further includes a NavisRADIUS proxy application and is configured to write log files on the unified subscriber data server control function platform.

6. The apparatus defined in claim 3, wherein the database comprises a TimesTen In-Memory Database.

7. The apparatus defined in claim 3, wherein the RADIUS monitor process is configured to heartbeat with the RADIUS server process at regular intervals to check the health of the RADIUS server process.

8. A method of providing concurrent registration of multimode subscribers in a telecommunications network, the method comprising:

maintaining at a centralized server class of service information about active protocol registrations, wherein the centralized server combines data network registration and voice network registration for multimode subscribers;

registering a subscriber in a data network via the centralized server by

receiving an authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) query from an external server at a RADIUS serve process on the centralized server;

forwarding the AAA query to a AAA control function application on the centralized server;

requesting data relating to the AAA query from a data function application on the centralized server;

receiving data relating to the AAA query from the data function application;

returning a response to the AAA query to the RADIUS server process;

forwarding the response to the AAA query to the external server; and

concurrently registering the subscriber in a voice network via the centralized server.

9. The method defined in claim 8, wherein the step of concurrently registering the subscriber in the voice network further comprises:

receiving a mobile application part (MAP) request from a serving mobile switching center/visiting location register (MSC/VLR) at the centralized server;

forwarding the MAP request to a home location register (HLR) control function application on the centralized server;

requesting data relating to the MAP request from the data function application on the centralized server;

receiving data relating to the MAP request from the data function application;

returning a response to the MAP request to the serving MSC/VLR.

10. The method defined in claim 8, wherein the centralized server further includes a RADIUS server management tool.

11. The method defined in claim 8, wherein the RADIUS server process further includes a NavisRADIUS proxy application and is configured to write log files on the unified subscriber data server control function platform.

12. The method defined in claim 8, wherein the database comprises a TimesTen In-Memory Database.

13. The method defined in claim 8, wherein the RADIUS monitor process is configured to heartbeat with the RADIUS server process at regular intervals to check the health of the RADIUS server process.