Method and apparatuses for sending message to a mobile station by addressing a hardware part

• US 9,301,109 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2004
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Bleckert, Peter, Skog, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ajit
• Application Number:
  US10/586,618
• Publication Number:
  US 20090017817A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,386 Days
• Field of Search: 455/433, 455/466, 455/566, 370/312, 370/313, 370/328
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

A message, e.g., a SMS message, intended for a specific hardware item is provided from an application node to a message controller together with hardware identification data, e.g., IMSI or IMEISV. The message controller and a location updated subscriber database, e.g., an HLR, having stored information about the intended terminating hardware, interact and a further handling of the message is decided based on the provided hardware identification data and on data stored in the location updated subscriber database.

Claims

1. A method of handling messages in a mobile communications system, said messages being single packet messages managed via a dedicated message controller available through a core network of said mobile communication system, said method comprising the steps of:

transferring one of said messages together with first hardware identification data being one of an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI), an international mobile equipment identity (IMEI), and an international mobile equipment identity extended with software version (IMEISV) that uniquely identifies an intended terminating receiver of said one message from an application node having an application configured for generating said one message for transmitting data to a terminal or SIM card identified by said first hardware identification data, to an application node interworking unit of said dedicated message controller;

interacting between the dedicated message controller and a location updated subscriber database; and

further managing of the message based on said one of an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI), international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) and international mobile equipment identity extended with software version (IMEISV) that uniquely identifies an intended terminating receiver of said one message and data stored in the location updated subscriber database;

wherein the step of interacting comprises the steps of;

sending said one of an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI), international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) and international mobile equipment identity extended with software version (IMEISV) that uniquely identifies an intended terminating receiver of said one message from the message controller to the location updated subscriber database;

where said one of an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI), international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) and international mobile equipment identity extended with software version (IMEISV) that uniquely identifies an intended terminating receiver of said one message is used in the location updated subscriber database to retrieve an address, if any, of a switching or support node presently handling hardware defined by the hardware identification data; and

returning the address of the switching or support node, if any, from the location updated subscriber database to the dedicated message controller;

wherein the step of further managing comprises initiating of a transmission of said one message to the address of the switching or support node; and

wherein the step of further managing further comprises, if no address of a switching or support node presently handling hardware defined by the hardware identification data is retrieved in the location updated subscriber database, storing of said one message and resuming the interacting step with the location updated subscriber database after a delay time.

2. A method according to claim 1, comprising the further step of:

comparing said one of an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI), international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) and international mobile equipment identity extended with software version (IMEISV) that uniquely identifies an intended terminating receiver of said one message and hardware identification data stored in the location updated subscriber database, whereby the step of further managing being based on the outcome of the step of comparing.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the second hardware identification data comprises at least one of subscriber identification module identification data and mobile equipment identification data.

6. A method according to claim 5, comprising the further step of returning at least one of subscriber identification module identification data and mobile equipment identification data from the location updated subscriber database to the message controller.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein said one message is a short message service—

SMS—

message and the dedicated message controller is a SMS controller.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the location updated subscriber database is home location register.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the switching or support node is a mobile switching center.

3. A method of handling messages in a mobile communications system, said messages being single packet messages managed via a dedicated message controller available through a core network of said mobile communication system, said method comprising the steps of:

transferring one of said messages together with first hardware identification data being one of international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI), international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) and international mobile equipment identity extended with software version (IMEISV) that uniquely identifies an intended terminating receiver of said one message from an application node having an application configured for generating said one message for transmitting data to a terminal or SIM card identified by said first hardware identification data, to an application node interworking unit of said dedicated message controller;

interacting between the dedicated message controller and a location updated subscriber database;

further managing of the message based on said one of an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI), international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) and international mobile equipment identity extended with software version (IMEISV) that uniquely identifies an intended terminating receiver of said one message and data stored in the location updated subscriber database;

transferring mobile subscriber identification data associated with said one message from the application node to the dedicated message controller;

wherein the step of interacting in turn comprises the steps of;

sending the mobile subscriber identification data from the dedicated message controller to the location updated subscriber database;

retrieving an address, if any, of a switching or support node presently handling a mobile subscriber defined by the mobile subscriber identification data and second hardware identification data uniquely identifying hardware equipment that, according to the location updated subscriber database, is associated with the mobile subscriber;

returning the address of the switching or support node and the second hardware identification data from the location updated subscriber database to the dedicated message controller; and

comparing said one of an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI), international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) and international mobile equipment identity extended with software version (IMEISV) that uniquely identifies an intended terminating receiver of said one message and the second hardware identification data;

wherein the step of further managing comprises, if said one of an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI), international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) and international mobile equipment identity extended with software version (IMEISV) that uniquely identifies an intended terminating receiver of said one message the second hardware identification data are equivalent, an initiating of a transmission of said one message to the address of the switching or support node,

wherein the step of further managing further comprises, if said one of an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI), international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) and international mobile equipment identity extended with software version (IMEISV) that uniquely identifies an intended terminating receiver of said one message the second hardware identification data are non-equivalent, storing of said one message and resuming the interacting step with the location updated subscriber database after a delay time.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the step of further managing further comprises, if said one of an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI), international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) and international mobile equipment identity extended with software version (IMEISV) that uniquely identifies an intended terminating receiver of said one message the second hardware identification data are non-equivalent, sending of an error message to the application node.

10. A message controller of a mobile communications system, comprising:

electronic circuitry configured to manage single packet messages via a core network of said mobile communication system;

an application node interworking unit configured to receive one of said messages together with first hardware identification data being one of an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI), an international mobile equipment identity (IMEI), and an international mobile equipment identity extended with software version (IMEISV) that uniquely identifies an intended terminating receiver of the one message from an application node having an application configured to generate the one message for transmitting data to a terminal or SIM card identified by said first hardware identification data; and

electronic circuitry configured to interact with a location updated subscriber database and further manage the message based on said one of an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI), international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) and international mobile equipment identity extended with software version (IMEISV) that uniquely identifies an intended terminating receiver of said one message and data stored in the location updated subscriber database;

wherein the electronic circuitry includes;

a transmitter for sending said one of an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI), international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) and international mobile equipment identity extended with software version (IMEISV) that uniquely identifies an intended terminating receiver of said one message to the location updated subscriber database;

a second receiver for an address, if any, of a switching or support node presently handling hardware defined by said one of an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI), international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) and international mobile equipment identity extended with software version (IMEISV) that uniquely identifies an intended terminating receiver of said one message from the location updated subscriber database;

wherein the electronic circuitry is configured to initiate a transmission of one message to the address of the switching or support node; and

wherein the electronic circuitry is configured, if no address of a switching or support node presently handling hardware defined by said one of an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI), international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) and international mobile equipment identity extended with software version (IMEISV) that uniquely identifies an intended terminating receiver of said one message is provided by the location updated subscriber database, to store said one message and resume the interacting with the location updated subscriber database after a delay time.

11. A message controller according to claim 10, wherein the electronic circuitry is configured to manage said one message based on the outcome of a comparison between said one of an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI), international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) and international mobile equipment identity extended with software version (IMEISV) that uniquely identifies an intended terminating receiver of said one message and hardware identification data stored in the location updated subscriber database.

14. A message controller according to claim 10, wherein the second hardware identification data comprises at least one of subscriber identification module identification data and mobile equipment identification data.

15. A message controller according to claim 14, wherein the second receiver is configured to receive at least one of subscriber identification module identification data and mobile equipment identification data from the location updated subscriber database.

16. A message controller according to claim 10, wherein said one message is a short message service—

SMS—

message and the message controller is a SMS controller.

12. A message controller of a mobile communications system, comprising:

electronic circuitry configured to manage single packet messages via a core network of said mobile communication system;

an application node interworking unit configured to receive one of said messages together with first hardware identification data being one of international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI), international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) and international mobile equipment identity extended with software version (IMEISV) that uniquely identifies an intended terminating receiver of the one message from an application node having an application configured for generating the one message for transmitting data to a terminal or SIM card identified by said first hardware identification data; and

electronic circuitry configured to interact with a location updated subscriber database and further manage the message based on said one of an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI), international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) and international mobile equipment identity extended with software version (IMEISV) that uniquely identifies an intended terminating receiver of said one message and data stored in the location updated subscriber database;

wherein the first receiver is configured for further receiving mobile subscriber identification data;

wherein the electronic circuitry comprises;

a transmitter for sending said one of an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI), international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) and international mobile equipment identity extended with software version (IMEISV) that uniquely identifies an intended terminating receiver of said one message to the location updated subscriber database; and

a second receiver for an address, if any, of a switching or support node presently handling a mobile subscriber defined by the mobile subscriber identification data and second hardware identification data uniquely identifying hardware equipment that, according to the location updated subscriber database, is associated with the mobile subscriber from the location updated subscriber database;

wherein the electronic circuitry is configured to

compare said one of an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI), international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) and international mobile equipment identity extended with software version (IMEISV) that uniquely identifies an intended terminating receiver of said one message the second hardware identification data;

initiate a transmission of said one message to the address of the switching or support node if the output of the comparison indicates that the first and second hardware identification data are equivalent;

wherein the electronic circuitry is configured to store said one message and resume interaction with the location updated subscriber database after a delay time if the output of the comparison indicates that said one of an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI), international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) and international mobile equipment identity extended with software version (IMEISV) that uniquely identifies an intended terminating receiver of said one message the second hardware identification data are non-equivalent.

13. A message controller according to claim 12, wherein the electronic circuitry is configured to send an error message to an originating node of said one message if the output of the comparison indicates that said one of an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI), international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) and international mobile equipment identity extended with software version (IMEISV) that uniquely identifies an intended terminating receiver of said one message the second hardware identification data are non-equivalent.