System and method for signaling gateway

• US 8,934,895 B1
• Filed: 12/14/2006
• Issued: 01/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nextel Communications Inc (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Nextel Communications Inc (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Gunasekara, Don, Dianda, Janet Ruth, Ha, Yvonne Quy
• Primary Examiner(s): MAPA, MICHAEL Y
• Application Number:
  US11/638,400
• Time in Patent Office: 2,952 Days
• Field of Search: 455/436, 455410-411, 4554321-433, 4554351-445, 455448-449, 370/331, 370/338
• US Class Current: 455/433
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/12 between location registers or mobility servers

Abstract

Systems and methods for a gateway that couples two or more networks are provided. The gateway allows mobile stations with subscriptions in one network to roam and operate in another network. The networks that can be coupled by the gateway include CDMA-based networks, GSM-based networks, iDEN-based network and WiMAX-based networks.

Claims

1. A method for registering a mobile station using a signaling gateway, the method comprising the acts of:

receiving a registration request for the mobile station at a first wireless network;

receiving an authorization request from the mobile station at the signaling gateway;

forwarding the authorization request from the signaling gateway to an authorization element of the first wireless network;

obtaining an authorization for the mobile station from an authorization element of the first wireless network; and

forwarding from the signaling gateway a registration notification to a location register of the first wireless network;

determining, at the signaling gateway, a home wireless network for the mobile station, wherein the home wireless network is selected from one of either a second wireless network or a third wireless network;

forwarding the authorization request from the signaling gateway to an authorization element of the home wireless network;

obtaining an authorization for the mobile station from the authorization element of the home wireless network;

receiving at the signaling gateway a call request for the mobile station from a location register of the home wireless network; and

transmitting from the signaling gateway a call request for the mobile station to the location register of the first wireless network, wherein the first wireless network operates in accordance with a WiMAX protocol and the transmitted call request is a session initiation protocol (SIP) Invite message, the method further comprising the acts of;

receiving at the signaling gateway a SIP 180 ringing message from the location register of the first wireless network;

receiving at the signaling gateway a SIP 200 OK message from the location register of the first wireless network; and

transmitting from the signaling gateway a SIP ACK message to the location register of the first wireless network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the home wireless network operates in accordance with an ANSI-41 protocol and the authorization element and the location register of the home wireless network is a home location register.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the home wireless network operates in accordance with a GSM protocol and the authorization element and the location register of the home wireless network is a home location register.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the home wireless network operates in accordance with an iDEN protocol and the authorization element and the location register of the home wireless network is a home location register.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first wireless network operates in accordance with a WiMAX, protocol, and the authorization element is an authentication, authorization and accounting (AAA) server.

6. A signaling gateway, comprising:

a first interface to a first wireless network that operates according to a first communication protocol;

a second interface to a second wireless network that operates according to a second communication protocol;

a third interface to a third wireless network that operates according to a third communication protocol;

and a processor coupled to the first, second, and third interfaces, the processor comprising;

logic for receiving a registration request from a mobile station supported by a first wireless network;

logic for obtaining an authorization for the mobile station from an authorization element of the first wireless network;

logic for forwarding a registration notification to a location register of the first wireless network;

logic for determining a home wireless network for the mobile station, wherein the home wireless network is selected from one of either the second wireless network or the third wireless network;

logic for obtaining an authorization for the mobile station from an authorization element of the home wireless network; and

logic for notifying a location register in the home wireless network of a current location of the mobile station, wherein the processor forwards an authorization request to an authorization element of the first wireless network, and forwards from the signaling gateway a registration notification to a location register of the first wireless network;

determines that one of the second and third wireless networks is a home wireless network for the mobile station, wherein the home wireless network is selected from one of either a second wireless network or a third wireless network, forwards an authorization request from the signaling gateway to an authorization element of the home wireless network, obtains the authorization for the mobile station from the authorization element of the home wireless network, receives at the signaling gateway a call request for the mobile station from a location register of the home wireless network, and transmits from the signaling gateway a call request for the mobile station to the location register of the first wireless network, wherein the first wireless communication network operates in accordance with a WiMAX or LTE protocol and the transmitted call request is a session initiation protocol (SIP) Invite message.

7. The signaling gateway of claim 6, further comprising a memory, coupled to the processor, wherein the memory includes processor executable code that when loaded into the processor comprises the logic.

8. The signaling gateway of claim 6, wherein the first wireless network operates in accordance with a WiMAX, protocol, and the authorization element of the first wireless network is an authentication, authorization and accounting (AAA) server.

9. The signaling gateway of claim 8, wherein the location register of the home wireless network is a home location register.

10. The signaling gateway of claim 9, wherein the home wireless network operates in accordance with an ANSI-41 protocol.

11. The signaling gateway of claim 9, wherein the home wireless network operates in accordance with a GSM protocol.

12. The signaling gateway of claim 9, wherein the home wireless network operates in accordance with an iDEN protocol.

13. The signaling gateway of claim 6, wherein the logic for obtaining the authorization for the mobile station from the authorization element of the first wireless network comprises:

logic for obtaining an authorization for the mobile station from an authorization element of the second wireless network or third wireless network.

14. A method for registering a mobile station using a signaling gateway, the method comprising the acts of:

receiving a registration request for the mobile station at a first wireless network;

receiving an authorization request from the mobile station at the signaling gateway;

forwarding the authorization request from the signaling gateway to an authorization element of the first wireless network;

obtaining an authorization for the mobile station from an authorization element of the first wireless network; and

forwarding from the signaling gateway a registration notification to a location register of the first wireless network;

determining, at the signaling gateway, a home wireless network for the mobile station, wherein the home wireless network is selected from one of either a second wireless network or a third wireless network;

forwarding the authorization request from the signaling gateway to an authorization element of the home wireless network;

obtaining an authorization for the mobile station from the authorization element of the home wireless network, receiving at the signaling gateway a call request for the mobile station from a location register of the home wireless network; and

transmitting from the signaling gateway a call request for the mobile station to the location register of the first wireless network, wherein the first wireless communication network operates in accordance with an LTE protocol and the transmitted call request is a session initiation protocol (SIP) Invite message.