Centralized communication management via a virtual operator for connecting subscriber calls to host networks

• US 9,237,436 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2007
• Issued: 01/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Queau, Guylaine, Belfort, Veronique
• Primary Examiner(s): ZEWDU, MELESS NMN
• Application Number:
  US12/308,375
• Publication Number:
  US 20100189019A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,134 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/517, 455/403, 455/418, 455/432.3, 455433-434, 455/435.2, 455/445, 455/515, 455524-525, 455/550.1, 455/552.1, 4555541-5542, 455/556.2, 455560-561, 370/310, 370/310.2, 370/328, 370/338, 370/395.5, 370/398, 370/401, 370/408, 370/422, 370/430, 370901-902, 370911-913
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/18 Service support devices; Network management devices

Abstract

A communication system (SC) comprises i) a centralized platform (PC) that can be used by at least one virtual operator and that comprises at least equipment and services management means (EG1), subscriber/subscription data management means (EG2) and a call server (SA), responsible for jointly managing the control plane layer, and it) at least one distributed media gateway (PMi) connected to the centralized platform (PC) via a backbone network (RF)I and responsible for the interconnection between the centralized platform (PC) and a routing center (Ai), of a communication network (RMf) of an associated network operator, responsible for routing calls concerning communication terminals (UE) connected to its communication network (RMi) and managed by the centralized platform (PC) and for controlling a user plane layer of the environment of the system (SC).

Claims

1. A communication system, comprising:

a centralized platform configured to be used by at least two mobile virtual operators (MVNOs) and comprising equipment and services management devices, subscriber/subscription data management devices and a call server, arranged to manage jointly a user control plane layer, wherein each MVNO provides subscription based service for subscribers, and

distributed media gateways connected to said centralized platform via a backbone network, each of the at least two MVNOs includes a routing center and one or more of the distributed media gateways that are associated with the MVNOs, wherein each of the distributed media gateways interconnects the centralized platform to the routing center of a communication network for the MVNO, said each routing center being managed by the centralized platform and configured to route calls from communication terminals to the communication network, and each of the distributed media gateways further being configured to control the user control plane layer jointly with the centralized platform,

the at least two MVNOs not owning and not operating the backbone network,

wherein said centralized platform comprises devices for providing centralized services arranged to provide said communication terminals of subscribers with chosen centralized services, and a centralized media gateway connected to said backbone network and to said devices for providing centralized services and arranged, in case of transmission of the user control plane layer by the at least one distributed media gateway, to manage the user control plane layer in order to provide at least a certain number of said centralized services to the communication terminals of the subscribers who have subscribed to said centralized services.

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

storage devices configured to store information relating, on the one hand, to a location of the communication terminals of subscribers who have taken out a subscription with said at least two MVNOs, and, on the other hand, at least to services corresponding to said subscriptions.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein at least a portion of said storage devices is installed in said centralized platform.

4. The system according to claim 2, wherein at least a portion of said storage devices is installed in at least one other platform of a host communication network.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein said storage devices are installed in each of said host communication networks according to inter-operator agreements.

6. The system according to claim 4, wherein said centralized platform is coupled to devices for providing distributed services of at least one of said host communication networks, via at least one of Serving GPRS Serving Node (SGSN) nodes, and is arranged to manage the user plane and control layers in order to provide, through at least one Gateway GPRS Serving Node (GGSN) node, at least a certain number of said distributed services to the communication terminals of the subscribers who are subscribed thereto.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said backbone network is arranged to provide at least a quality of service and a traffic classification at its ends.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein said backbone network is at least one of an Internet Protocol (IP) network and/or Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) network and/or Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) network.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein said backbone network is the IP network and arranged to provide the transport of voice and signaling under IP.